Dunia Kecam Arab Saudi Imbas Tragedy Crane Maut Dalam Memori Hari Ini, 12 September 2015

The portrait of the location of the deadly crane tragedy in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA Memories of today, nine years ago, September 12, 2015, the whole world has been busy criticizing Saudi Arabia as a result of the deadly tragedy in Makkah. Hundreds of fatalities died due to the neglect of the government in development.

Previously, the Saudi Arabian government considered the momentum of the pilgrimage not only a matter of worship, but a big advantage. Development and renovation near religious sites are like never a pause. An estuary of the deadly crane accident.

The Saudi Arabian government has become used to receiving 1 to 2 million pilgrims from all over the world in the Hajj season. This means that the potential benefits that enter the pockets of the Saudi Arabian government are so large. This condition made the Saudi Arabian government immediately clean up.

They tried to increase revenue by beautifying the cities of Makkah and Medina. Construction and development of buildings and facilities continue to be carried out. The goal is that Saudi Arabia can accommodate more worshipers.

Problems arise. Development is often carried out without continuity. The first development plan and the second development have different focuses. This condition makes heavy equipment such as cranes often seen by pilgrims since several years ago.

Massive development has in fact made the Saudi government ignore it. Tragedy appeared by itself at the top of people performing the pilgrimage on September 11, 2015. Lightning grabbed a crane and fell on a pilgrim at the mosque complex in the mosque.

The incident claimed hundreds of lives. The congregation of days from various countries panicked was not a joke. They then ran uncertainly to save themselves. The government of Saudi Arabia then deftly evacuated all the victims who died and were injured.

The ambulance's pulses headed to the location. Authorities closed the area shortly after that. The whole place has become a construction site. What makes it worse is that around 17.30 there was severe rain," continued Al Jazeera journalist Hasan Patel as quoted on the sindonews.com page, September 11, 2015.

Instead of just feeling sorry for visiting Saudi Arabia, criticism also came from all over the world the day after, September 12, 2015. The criticism lies in Saudi ambitions that do not want to lose.

The government of Saudi Arabia is considered negligent because it continues to allow development when people are worshiping. Criticism also arises from Indonesian officials. They asked Saudi Arabia to take immediate responsibility. Losing hundreds of lives is not an ordinary matter. There was negligence recorded.

Criticism also emerged from the Executive Director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, Irfan al-Alawi. Irfan was not strange about the accident. He considered the accident to have occurred before the Hajj season took place. However, the government of Saudi Arabia is reluctant to improve and ignore it.

No health and safety systems are implemented. In London when you have construction work, people are kept away, but in Makkah, machines are deployed in areas accessible to the public.

"There aren't enough volunteers on duty to make sure people don't enter dangerous areas. Some technicians don't even wear safety equipment, helmets, or gloves, because the weather is very hot, summer temperatures reach 45 degrees Celsius," said Irfan as quoted on The Guardian's website, September 12, 2015.