Minister Of Religion Yaqut Absent, Commission VIII Of The House Of Representatives Reschedules The Evaluation Work Meeting For Hajj Implementation

Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenag)

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas was absent from the work meeting regarding the evaluation of the 2024 Hajj implementation with Commission VIII of the DPR.

The commission in charge of religious affairs also rescheduled the meeting with Minister of Religion Yaqut because this meeting could not be represented by other Ministry of Religion staff.

Apart from missing the Commission VIII meeting, Winning Yaqut has also been absent three times from the summons of the DPR's Hajj Special Committee. Sabab Yaqut is known to be abroad.

Yaqut's absence at this meeting was also criticized by members and leaders of Commission VIII of the DPR.

"The leadership permit, in accordance with the invitation given to us, thank you for the presence of the director-general and the director-general of the PHU Ministry of Religion, from Garuda. However, according to the invitation given to members today, today is the evaluation of the hajj, in accordance with the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 8 of 2019 it can be submitted and read and very clearly in article 43 of the fifth part, evaluation and reporting, paragraph one, the minister evaluates the implementation of the pilgrimage," said a member of Commission VIII DPR from the PKS faction, Wisnu Wijaya, Monday, September 23.

Paragraph two, continued Wisnu, the minister submitted a report on the results of the evaluation and accountability as referred to in paragraph 1 to the president and DPR no later than 60 days after the pilgrimage ended. And in the explanation, he said, the minister should not be represented and must be present alone and submit his report.

"This is in paragraph 2 article 43 which is meant by the end of the Hajj implementation, which is the last batch to arrive in Indonesia and the minister in article 26 is a minister who has government affairs in the religious sector," said Wisnu.

"For that we ask for a decision from the leadership to take it wisely because today the Minister of Religion cannot attend and we are waiting for his presence," continued the PKS legislator.

Responding to the interruption of members, the Chairman of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives, Ashabul Kahfi, firmly stated that Winning Yaqut could not be represented by his presence at the evaluation meeting for the evaluation of the implementation of the 2024 Hajj.

"This means that because this is a working meeting and an evaluation report on the implementation of the Hajj by the Minister of Religion. However, because the Minister of Religion is still on his way to carrying out state duties as well. So, based on the rules and regulations submitted by members and leaders, we will schedule the evaluation meeting for the implementation of this pilgrimage on the next occasion," said Ashabul.

The PAN politician stated that the schedule for a working meeting with the Minister of Religion would be held again on Friday, September 27. Because, he said, the DPR would end the trial period on September 30.

"And we conveyed to you that the remaining opportunity available was only on September 27. Because on the 28th it was Saturday, 29 days Sunday, on the 30th it was the closing of the trial period. On the 26th there was a plenary meeting if I'm not mistaken. So what allows us to continue the evaluation meeting on 27 September 2024," concluded Ashabul Kahfi.