Ministry Of Religion Proposes Hajj Fees To Be IDR 42 Million

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion proposed the cost of hajj to be IDR 42.452.369, which was calculated according to the revocation of a number of health protocols in Saudi Arabia which had been one of the conditions for organizing Umrah.

"The BPIH (hajj travel costs) to be paid by pilgrims is IDR 45 million to IDR 42 million," said Director General of Hajj and Umrah Organizers at the Ministry of Religion Hilman Latief, during a hearing with Commission VIII of the House of Representatives (DPR), reported by Antara, Wednesday, March 16.

Previously, the proposed cost of Hajj 1443 Hijri/2022 AD was IDR 45 million. The proposal was conveyed by the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas at a working meeting last February.

This figure is based on the cost of implementing health protocols and a number of other components. Now the proposal has decreased by IDR 3 million with the assumption that if Indonesia gets a 100 percent quota, in accordance with the revocation of a number of health protocol rules.

"If it doesn't reach 100 percent, we are ready to re-calculate the BPIH, with the quota that has been obtained," he said.

Furthermore, according to Hilman, the government together with Commission VIII of the DPR will discuss the components of the BPIH, so that various further steps related to the implementation of the hajj can be finalized immediately.

Hilman said that the Ministry of Religion has not yet received certainty regarding the organization of the pilgrimage from the Saudi Arabian authorities. However, the lifting of the health protocol is a signal that the Hajj will be reopened.

"Until now, there is no certainty whether or not there will be a hajj pilgrimage. However, if we look at this development, we are optimistic that in 2022 the Saudi government will hold the hajj," he said.