DPR: President To Saudi Arabia At The End Of January, It Is Hoped That The Hajj Quota Lobby

Chairman of Commission VIII DPR Marwan Dasopang (right five) conveyed the points of the meeting of the Working Committee for Hajj Fees of Commission VIII of the DPR with President Prabowo Subianto/ANTARA/Mentari Dwi Gayati.

Chairman of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives, Marwan Dasopang, said President Prabowo Subianto plans to visit Saudi Arabia at the end of January 2025, which is expected to be an opportunity for the President to lobby Saudi Arabian leaders to increase Indonesia's hajj quota.

Marwan, who represented the Working Committee (Panja) for the DPR Commission VIII Hajj Fee during a press conference after meeting President Prabowo, said that Indonesia needed additional quotas to solve the problem of the long waiting list in several areas.

"God willing, he (the President) explained that at the end of January he would travel, and we hope that he will reach Saudi Arabia and meet Raja there who determines whether the quota can be added or not," Marwan said in response to reporters' questions during a press conference at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, January 7.

The DPR Commission VIII Hajj Fee Committee came to the Palace to report directly to President Prabowo the reduction in the 2025 Hajj Implementation Fee (BPIH) to IDR 89.4 million and the decrease in the Hajj Travel Cost (Bipih) to IDR 55.4 million per person.

When compared to 2024, the decline in BPIH in 2025 will reach around Rp. 4 million more, while for Bipih it will be Rp. 600,000.

Dalam pertemuan yang berlangsung selama 2 jam lebih, Panja Biaya Haji Komisi VIII DPR juga mengungkap persoalan waktu wanggu haji yang terlebih terlebiu lama di beberapa daerah.

"In South Sulawesi, there are districts that have been over 49 years of waiting period. However, the average is between 25'30 years. There are three districts in South Sulawesi that have reached 48 years. It is quite difficult to unravel this, if they wait for the waiting list, yes, maybe the deceased. It's not that old again. How to break it down, one is an additional quota," said Marwan.

He said the long waiting list affected the psychology of prospective Hajj participants, considering the number reached 5 million pilgrims.

There are already those who feel worried that they will not go for Hajj in an elderly condition (elderly, ed.), and are not healthy. In fact, (some) feel that they will no longer reach their age towards departure, therefore we asked the President for willingness and asked the President to convince us Saudi Arabia that we still get a quota, getting this quota will certainly make the congregation happy," said Marwan Dasopang.

He assessed that the additional quota for Hajj was 5,000 10,000 people, if Indonesia managed to receive it, it would be very encouraging news for prospective hajj participants.

"He welcomes it and he will schedule a trip. Of course, the congregation and we at Commission VIII hoped that the President at the meeting would convey it to the Saudi side," continued Marwan.

Apart from the additional quota, Marwan revealed that the DPR is also exploring other strategies to unravel the issue of the long waiting list for Hajj departure, including Indonesia being able to cooperate with friendly countries, especially those who still have the remaining hajj quota.

"Later we may revise the Hajj Law so that we can send pilgrims, maybe together with friendly countries that do not spend their quota," said the chairman of Commission VIII of the DPR.

He said the Government of Saudi Arabia set the quota for Indonesian Hajj which will depart for the holy land in 2025 as many as 221,000 people.

Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar in a joint meeting with Commission VIII DPR in Jakarta, on December 30, 2024, also mentioned the same number. Of that number, Nasaruddin said 2,210 of them were Indonesian Hajj officers.