For The Smoothness Of Worship, BPKH Prepares Pocket Money For Hajj Candidates With A Total Of IDR 665 Billion

The handover of the Banknotes Saudi Arabia Riyal Provision Work for Hajj Pilgrims between BPKH, BRI and the Ministry of Religion. (ANTARA/HO-BPKH)

JAKARTA - The Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) officially cooperates with Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) to prepare a live cost for pilgrims with a total of SAR (Saudi Arabian Riyal) of 159,990,000 or around Rp665 billion.

"We hope that this will be useful for the congregation for the convenience and safety and smooth running of the Hajj process for all pilgrims from Indonesia," said BPKH Implementing Body Member Sulistyowati in a statement in Jakarta, Saturday.

Quoting ANTARA, Saturday, April 20, Sulistyowati said that BPKH has an obligation to manage and provide Hajj finance which is equivalent to the need for two times the cost of organizing the pilgrimage.

In the 1445H/2024M Hajj Implementation Fee (BPIH) component, the Government and the DPR have determined that it includes components for the cost of living costs for pilgrims. BPKH is mandated to provide the SAR banknotes.

In the decision between the government and the DPR, it has been agreed that the living cost will be returned to the pilgrims for Hajj, PHD (Regional Hajj Officers), and KBIHU (Hajj and Umrah Guidance Group) in the SAR currency.

"The cost of living will be distributed to the congregation following the schedule set by the Ministry of Religion before the departure of the first batch on May 12, 2024," he said.

He explained that the nominal amount of living costs returned was SAR 750 or Rp3,120,000 for 213,320 regular Hajj participants. So that the total SAR banknotes that need to be provided are SAR 159,990,000 or Rp 665 billion.

"Living costs are distributed only for regular congregations in the embarkation and embarkation between following the number of pilgrims set by the Ministry of Religion," he said.

Meanwhile, the Director of Hajj Fund Management and Integrated Hajj Information System of the Ministry of Religion, Ramadhan Harisman, stated the government's readiness to dispatch pilgrims.

"The need for bank notes is a necessity, this living cost is money paid by the congregation at the time of repayment and then returned when in the embarkation, the goal is to create a sense of security and comfort because they hold cash," he said.