Ministry Of Religion Affirms There Has Been No Discussion On The Establishment Of The Ministry Of Hajj In The Prabowo Era

Illustration of pilgrims from Indonesia carrying out worship at the departure of 2022. (ANTARA-Saudi Ministry of Media)

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Ministry of Religion (Kemenang) Sunanto said there was no internal discussion of the Ministry of Religion regarding the plan to form the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in the era of the Presidential Elected Election of the 2024 Presidential Election Prabowo Subianto.

He conveyed this in response to journalists' questions about the issue of the establishment of a ministry that specializes in managing the implementation of Hajj and Umrah in the new era of government for the 2024 period 2029.

"Nothing, there has been no discussion. That's why the president's policy," Sunanto told reporters when met after attending a media gathering in Jakarta, Monday, October 7, was confiscated by Antara.

According to the man who is familiarly called Cak Nanto, the Ministry of Religion does not have the authority regarding the discourse on the formation of the special ministry of Hajj. The Ministry of Religion, he said, would continue to follow all the rules and policies of the Prabowo Subianto government.

"That is not the authority of the Ministry of Religion either, whatever the new government policy is, we will definitely implement it, so we just follow suit," he said.

Even so, Cak Nanto assessed that an in-depth study was needed if the new government would form a special ministry for Hajj.

"Once again, there needs to be a more mature study, yes, not only in a hurry about separation and not separating, yes, infrastructure and so on. But in the ministry of religion, there is no discussion yet," he said.

Previously, proposals regarding the formation of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah were submitted by a number of parties, including the Muslim Association of Hajj and Umrah Organizers of the Republic of Indonesia (Amphuri).

Secretary General of the Central Executive Board (DPP) Amphuri Zakarya Anshary assessed that the existence of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is important to reduce the burden on the Ministry of Religion, which has been taking care of organizing the pilgrimage for Indonesian pilgrims.

"With the existence of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, it can reduce the burden on the Ministry of Religion which has been very heavy outside of Hajj and Umrah matters," he said.

The complexity of organizing Hajj and Umrah, Zaky continued, is evidenced by the number of parties involved, such as the government, the private sector, and the government, namely the Ministry of Religion, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH), the National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN), and Commission VIII DPR RI.

"On the private side, there are companies that have permits as Umrah Travel Organizers (PPIU) and Special Hajj Organizers (PIHK). Not to mention, other parties are also involved such as Saudi Arabian airlines and governments," Zaky said.

He then said that another factor that was considered very important behind the need for the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah was the amount of budget.