Government Doesn't Send Hajj Pilgrims, Amphuri: If You Want To Be Honest, This Is A Tough Decision For Us

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the DPP of the Muslim Association of Hajj and Umrah Organizers of the Republic of Indonesia (AMPHURI) Firman M Nur said his party respects the government's decision not to depart for Hajj pilgrims in 1442H/2021M. However, he admits that from a business perspective, this is a tough decision. "The government's decision to cancel this year's hajj pilgrimage from a moral point of view, we can accept. But from a business perspective, if we are honest, this is a tough decision for us pilgrims. we can't hold the pilgrimage," he told VOI, Thursday, June 3. According to Firman, every year AMPHURI can dispatch at least 17,800 pilgrims. However, the impact of the pandemic since 2020 has been cancelled. "From a business perspective, the amount (profit) of one package between Rp. 10,000 to Rp. 15,000 multiplied by 17,800 is also a fantastic number and this is a business opportunity that has been lost from organizing the pilgrimage, in particular, "For this reason, Firman said, his party hopes that the government will come up with a concrete way to help the organizers of the special hajj pilgrimage who have been very badly affected by the policy of canceling the pilgrimage. "We hope that after the cancellation is issued, it will be followed by stimulus for business activities. I also want to, because during this pandemic there has been no direct stimulus given to our members as organizers of special Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages," he said.

Firman said that his party had been very badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Because, since the beginning of February 2020 the implementation of the Umrah pilgrimage has been canceled until now. "As is known, the Umrah pilgrimage has been canceled long before the Hajj, which is starting February 7, 2020. We propose to the government to be able to realize a concrete stimulus policy for us," he said. For example, said Firman, by making AMPHURI a government partner or providing guidance and providing facilities that can increase income from the development of local tourists who are halal or Indonesian domestic tourism. We also hope that there are things that are direct, there are no costs incurred due to the extension of permits and others," he explained.