Indonesian Special Hajj Pilgrims Start Arriving In Medina

Head of Special Hajj Supervision for Daker Medina, Rudy N Ambary when welcoming special Hajj pilgrims, in Medina, Saudi Arabia, Monday (5/6). PHOTOS BETWEEN ANTARA/Nur Istibsaroh

Indonesian special Hajj pilgrims began arriving in Medina, Saudi Arabia, Monday (5/6) 2023 with a total of 283 hajj candidates (calaj) out of a total quota of 18,320 calhaj (17,680 quota rations and 640 additional).

A total of 283 candidates were dispatched by eight Special Hajj Organizers (PIHK) namely PT Patuna Mekar Jaya, Diyo Siba, Kharissa Permai Holiday, Indah Permata Permai, Suhada Arafah Wisata, Raihan Alya Tour, Pancar Ni'mah, and Namira Amalia Utama.

Head of Special Hajj Supervision for Daker Medina, Saudi Arabia's Hajj Organizing Officer (PPIH), Rudy N Ambary, in Medina, Monday explained that the special Hajj pilgrims were planned to finally arrive in Saudi Arabia around the beginning of the third week of June 2023.

"When it is the 20s of June, usually from Jeddah directly to Mecca. There are around 70-75 percent of the Implementation of Special Hajj (PIHK) to lower their congregations in Jeddah, then they take them to Medina and the last is usually from Jeddah directly to Mecca, then to Medina," said Rudy as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, June 5.

Rudy explained that the Saudi Arabian PPIH is tasked with supervising the PIHK regarding special Hajj services related to administration, hotel facilities, food, transportation, health, whether it is in accordance with the package offered and paid by pilgrims.

"We were monitoring from the start, when they were here, as well as I going to Mecca we will check again. There is a problem or not, we will check there," he said.

He explained that from the results of the supervision for the inaugural arrival, everything went smoothly, there were no problems.

The same thing was conveyed by the children of the owners of Diyo Group Syamirah Arifah and Muhammad Zaki Nawawi who said all stages went smoothly from the country to Medina.

"We arrived in Jeddah then to Medina by bus. Alhamdulillah, everything went smoothly. Thank God all the worshipers were also healthy even though there were several elderly people. There were two elderly people, the condition was not a high risk, they were 68 years old," said Syamirah when his congregation arrived at the Movenpick Hotel, which is about 50 meters from the Prophet's Mosque, Medina.

He explained that the congregation would stay in Medina for nine days to organize Arbain and after that they would go to Jeddah, a total of 30 days while in Saudi Arabia.

Apart from Arbain, he said, while in Medina, the congregation will also be invited to the tomb of the Prophet, to eat Baqi, Qiblatain tour, Quba Madjid, Arbain, and to other religious places.

"For the facilities, five-star hotels, one room is a maximum of four people. In Mecca, Maktab VIP 111, only 100 meters out of the tent, the escalator has gone to the place where the body is thrown," he said.

Regarding the price of a special hajj package, Muhammad Zaki Nawawi said that in his place he set a price of 18 thousand US dollars with a stay of 30 days in Saudi Arabia and pilgrims could carry out Arbain in Medina.

Placement of special Hajj pilgrims is different from regular Hajjes, namely, while they are in Medina, the place to stay cannot be more than 750 meters from the Prophet's Mosque with five-star facilities, get quarantine food services, except at airports that get box food.

For PIHKs that do not provide adequate services, the attitude and actions of the Ministry of Religion are to provide notes, give written warnings, and the heaviest violations such as not dispatching pilgrims with the revocation of permits.

In accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Religion No. 6 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Umrah Travel and the Implementation of Special Hajj, one group from PIHK consists of 45 calhaj and three officers consisting of the person in charge of PIHK, health workers, and worship guides.