4,291 West Sumatra Hajj Candidates Or 93 Percent Of Congregants Have Paid Off Bipih

Prospective pilgrims from West Sumatra board an airplane to perform the pilgrimage. (DOC. ANTARA)

As many as 93 percent of Hajj candidates in West Sumatra have paid off the Hajj Travel Fee (Bipih). The total has reached 4,291 hajj candidates according to the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) of West Sumatra Province (West Sumatra).

"Alhamdulillah, 4,291 West Sumatra Hajj candidates have confirmed and paid off Bipih. This means that around 93 percent of the pilgrims have paid their Hajj travel fees," said Head of the West Sumatra Ministry of Religion Helmi in Padang, Saturday.

Helmi said the first 4,291 Hajj candidates paid off Bipih from April 11 to May 5, 2023. The data was obtained from the Integrated Hajj Information System (Siskohat) of the West Sumatra Ministry of Religion Regional Office as of May 5, 2023 at 16.00 WIB.

From the data of the pilgrims who have paid off, 3,988 of them are pilgrims who are included in the waiting list or quota entitled to be paid off in 2023 plus the pilgrims have paid off for the postponement in 2020. Meanwhile, another 303 are reserve congregations from 433 existing quotas.

For the Hajj season of 1444 Hijri/2023 AD, the province received a quota of 4,613 people including regional Hajj officers (PHD). All of them will be dispatched in 12 flying groups (kloters), and each batch is accompanied by five officers.

Then, for pilgrims who have not paid or confirmed repayment, including the congregation, they have been postponed. The former head of the Padang Pariaman Regency Ministry of Religion advised to immediately pay it off.

"When the departure of the pilgrims to the Holy Land is very close. We urge the West Sumatra pilgrims who have not made payment to immediately pay for the cost of the pilgrimage," he appealed.

Regarding the payment time, there will be an extension of time. This is because not all pilgrims have paid the cost of the pilgrimage so that the quota set has not been fulfilled.

"Untuk kepastian waktu perpanjangan pemberasan Bipih, kita menunggu regulasi dan informasi dari Direktorat Jenderal Penyelenggaraan Haji dan Umrah Kemenag RI," pungkasnya dikutip ANTARA, Senin, 6 Mei.