Vice President Ma'ruf: Subsidies For Hajj Fees Are Too Large, 59 Percent

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - Deputy President Ma'ruf Amin said the adjustment of the Hajj Travel Expenses (Bipih) was to maintain the sustainability of subsidies for Indonesian pilgrims.

"The subsidy given to the costs of the pilgrimage is too large, 59 percent. Because of this, the result of optimizing the development of the pilgrimage fund is taken up a lot. If this is allowed, the main (funds) will be taken away and the next pilgrimage (congregation) will no longer be able to receive subsidies," said Vice President Ma'ruf Amin in Jakarta, Wednesday, January 25.

The Ministry of Religion proposes that the average cost of the pilgrimage or Bipih trip in 1444 Hijriah/2023 AD is IDR 69,193,733 per person, higher than the cost of the pilgrimage trip in 2022 which is set at IDR 39,886,009 per person.

"So, because of that, there needs to be a price adjustment, which even if it is subsidized will not stop subsidies later. So the continuity of subsidies will not be disturbed," said the Vice President as quoted from Antara.

In order to maintain the sustainability of the subsidized costs of the pilgrimage, the Vice President said adjustments needed to be made.

"So how much is the adjustment, I think that later, the Minister of Religion's suggestion is that maybe the DPR will discuss which one is more appropriate. If subsidies have to be subsidized, the subsidies will not interfere with subsidies for the next prospective hajj pilgrims, but if the model is like the one yesterday, it is indeed dangerous. the subsidy is too big, up to 59 percent," said the Vice President.

The Vice President hopes that there will be further discussions, so that a rational quantity for Bipih is found.

"I hope that later a more rational amount will be found, which can be understood by the pilgrims who are going to Hajj, and also the sustainability of the subsidies given will not be disturbed," said the Vice President.

In a joint working meeting with Commission VIII DPR RI on 19 January 2023, the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas explained that the average cost of the proposed pilgrimage journey covers 70 percent of the proposed BPIH average of IDR 98,893,909 per person.

The remaining 30 percent or IDR 29,700,175 is taken from the value of the benefits of managing the Hajj funds.

According to the Minister of Religion, the new formulation of the Bipih component is implemented to balance the burden on pilgrims with the continued utilization of the benefits of managing hajj funds in the future.

However, the proposed scheme will again be discussed with Commission VIII of the DPR RI to find a middle ground. The Ministry of Religion wants the costs of the pilgrimage to be acceptable to all parties for the sake of the sustainability of the Hajj management fund.

In the midst of a proposed increase in the cost of the 2023 Hajj, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia stated that it would reduce the cost of the 2023 Hajj by up to 30 percent.

Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Jeddah Eko Hartono received information that Saudi Arabia has indeed reduced the price of Hajj packages for domestic pilgrims with prices varying depending on the service, starting from 3,960 Saudi Arabian Riyals (around IDR 16 million), 6,000 Riyals (IDR 24 million), up to 10,000 Riyals (IDR 40 million).