Ministry Of Religion: Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory Becomes A Quarantine Place For Umrah Congregants

Director General of Hajj and Umrah Organization (PHU) of the Indonesian Ministry of Religion Hilman Latief during a visit to Saudi Arabia (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Director-General of Hajj and Umrah Organization (PHU) of the Indonesian Ministry of Religion Hilman Latief said he would function the Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory, East Jakarta as a quarantine place for Umrah pilgrims because it was considered to have met the requirements.

"The BNPB COVID-19 Task Force Team has reviewed the Hajj hostel. carry out a readiness check. In conclusion, Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory qualifies as a quarantine place for Indonesian Umrah pilgrims," Hilman said via text message, reported by Antara, Sunday, November 28.

Hilman currently is still in Saudi Arabia to finish the discussion of the umrah scenario during the pandemic with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia. According to him, the scenario for organizing Umrah prepared by the Ministry of Religion will implement a one-door policy for pilgrims to depart through the Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory.

For this reason, the pilgrims' quarantine process before departure, health checks, and quarantine after returning to Indonesia will be carried out at the Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory.

"This is part of our efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The participant of umrah should be in a healthy condition since departure, while in Saudi Arabia, and back again in Indonesia," he said.

Director of Domestic Hajj Services Saiful Mujab said the results of the field review, the BNPB team concluded that the hajj dormitories had met the requirements for quarantine of Umrah pilgrims.

"It only requires the addition of information in the dormitory area. For example, signs for entry and exit, facilities indicating signs, and so on," he said.

"The flow of movement since the arrival of the congregation and departure, everything has been checked, and everything is okay," he said.