Waiting Period For Hajj In Riau Islands Reached 19 Years, This Year's List Departs In 2041

Head of the Hajj and Umrah Division of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of the Riau Archipelago, Afrizal. (AMONG)

RIAU - Head of the Hajj and Umrah Division of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of the Riau Archipelago (Kepri) Afrizal said the waiting period for Hajj pilgrimage for Hajj candidates in the Riau Islands region was up to 19 years.

It is estimated that residents who register for Hajj this year will only be able to leave for the Holy Land in 2041.

The long waiting period for the pilgrimage is due to the fact that the number of people who want to perform Hajj continues to grow, while the hajj quota for the Riau Islands is only 1,281 people per year.

In addition, according to him, in the last two years the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented the government from sending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. He said that there were 24,339 people in the Riau Archipelago queuing to go for Hajj. He hoped that this year the government could again dispatch pilgrims to the Holy Land.

"We are still waiting for Saudi Arabia's confirmation whether it has been opened this year or not, then the CJH quota is normal or reduced, we don't know yet," he said in Tanjungpinang, Antara, Wednesday, February 23.

In general, pilgrims in the Riau Archipelago are ready to go to the Holy Land to perform the pilgrimage. "Our congregation has met the requirements, such as having been vaccinated and participating in the Hajj rituals," he said.

He also explained that residents who want to perform the pilgrimage must pay an initial deposit of Rp. 25 million in order to get a portion number or queue number to go for Hajj.