Director General Of Hajj And Umrah: Negotiations For Adding Up To 10 Liters Of Zamzam Water

Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religion Hilman Latief in Mecca, Monday (18/7/2022) (ANTARA/Desi Purnamawati)

MEKKAH - Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religion Hilman Latief said his party would try to negotiate the addition of Zamzam water for Hajj pilgrims, which is expected to reach 10 liters per person.

"We are trying to negotiate. If not this year, hopefully next year can be added," Hilman said in Mecca as reported by ANTARA, Monday, July 18.

Hilman claimed to have received an order from the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to discuss the Zamzam issue with the Zamzam water management company in Saudi.

The Director General said that he would bring the aspirations of Indonesian hajj pilgrims to the issue of whether or not it is possible to add up to 10 liters of zamzam per congregation. If it is not possible this year, it will be tried next year.

"What will the addition look like because we have to use mechanisms such as imports or something like that, this is related to shipping, not water problems," he added.

Hilman understands the desire of the pilgrims to be able to bring more Zamzam water than they would get at the embarkation Hajj hostel of five liters per person.

"Complaints from pilgrims are many, but now international flights are getting stricter. Carrying liquids in suitcases is prohibited by the provisions of the aviation authority," he said.

Previously, Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said that his party would try to make future pilgrims able to bring home additional Zamzam water, not just five liters like this year.

"This is what we will try to convey later to the Saudi government so that pilgrims can get a larger portion, of course this is also related to flight regulations," said the Minister of Religion.

The Minister of Religion admitted that he had communicated with several parties including the Saudi Minister of Hajj regarding this matter.

He also said that after the 2022 Hajj operations were completed and all pilgrims returned to the country, the Minister of Religion would return to discuss a number of things, including the addition of Zamzam.

In addition, the Minister of Religion responded that there are still pilgrims who carry zamzam water in their luggage, even though pilgrims will certainly get five liters of zamzam when they are at the debarkation hajj dormitory.

"Why did the congregation force the zamzam into a suitcase, that's because five liters is too little," said the Minister of Religion.