Set Today, PKB Legislators Hope 2023 Hajj Fees Can Drop To IDR 47 Million

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JAKARTA - DPR Commission VIII together with the Ministry of Religion and other related parties are continuing to discuss the costs of organizing the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage (BPIH), which will be determined today, Wednesday, February 15.

Last night, the Working Committee (Panja) of Commission VIII DPR RI stated that the figure for hajj expenses that must be borne by prospective pilgrims could be reduced to IDR 49 million.

However, a member of the DPR's Commission VIII Committee from the PKB faction, MF Nurhuda Yusro, assessed that the expenses for the pilgrimage that must be borne by the congregation could still fall to IDR47 million. This decrease can be taken through 3 items, namely accommodation, congregational catering, and the community.

"Yes, it should still be able to go down, according to last night. We hope that we can. So if we assume the 3 points can go down, it can still go down. Because there can still be a middle way, for example, I don't dare to say the exact number, it's a matter of desire We started at IDR 85 million, so if it is IDR 85 million, prospective pilgrims can get IDR 47 million or IDR 48 million," said Nurhuda when contacted, Wednesday, February 15.

"At least there are still some in the DPR's Commission VIII who criticize that it can be lowered again. Because actually, it's still like yesterday, what we conveyed is our wish (BPIH) IDR 85 million, right," he continued.

The PKB legislator for the Central Java electoral district revealed, in a meeting with the Director General of Hajj and Umrah Management of the Ministry of Religion, Hilman Latif had produced a BPIH of IDR 90 million. In addition, the costs that must be borne by the pilgrims have reached IDR 49 million.

"Indeed, we want to be below the IDR 90 million figure, while for the Ministry of Religion, it is still holding on to IDR 90 million because there are several items that our team during the visit to Saudi found were still negotiable," explained Nurhuda.

Even so, Nurhuda still appreciates the Ministry of Religion for being able to reduce the cost of the 2023 Hajj to IDR 49 million from the original proposal of IDR 69 million.

According to him, the figure below IDR 50 million is quite a relief for prospective pilgrims in 2023.

"We appreciate the Ministry of Religion's efforts to reduce the relatively high costs, which were initially IDR 69 million, and now it has fallen to IDR 50 million for prospective congregations, from the total BPIH, which was IDR 98 million, it has fallen to IDR 90 million. We appreciate it frankly, that is an effort. It's amazing," said Nurhuda.

Previously, the Director General of Hajj Organizing at the Ministry of Religion, Hilman, said that his party proposed that the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage (Bipih) costs paid by the congregation be reduced to IDR 49.81 million. However, the figures from the latest study by the Ministry of Religion have not yet been finalized.

This figure is 55.3 percent of the proposed average cost of organizing the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage (BPIH), which reaches IDR 90.02 million.

Meanwhile, in the Ministry of Religion's initial proposal, the 2023 BPIH was proposed in the amount of IDR 98.89 million with the Bipih composition increasing to 70 percent or IDR 69.19 million and the composition of the benefit value decreasing to 30 percent or IDR 29.7 million.

"For BPIH, what we are proposing is IDR 90.02 million with a composition of IDR 49.81 million (Bipih) with a benefit value of IDR 40.21 million or for Bipih we are proposing 55.3 percent, and for a benefit value of 44.7 percent," said Hilman at the meeting. hearing (RDP) with Commission VIII DPR RI, Tuesday, 14 February.

The 2023 Bipih details consist of flight costs from embarkation to Saudi Arabia (PP) of IDR 32.74 million, living costs of IDR 3.030 million, and community service packages of IDR 14.03 million.