Hajj Officers: Free Wukuf Safari Service, No Extortion

Haji Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The wusuf safari officer, who is part of the Hajj Organizing Committee (PPIH), Tony Hartanto, emphasized that there were no illegal levies (extortion) in the elderly and high risk wukuf safari carried out by Hajj officers.

"The wusuf safari service is free, does not attract contributions from the congregation at all," said Tony, who is one of the wuskuf safari officers, quoting Antara.

He and his friends who are also wusuf safari officers feel sad and concerned, because there is an extortion issue that indirectly offends elderly officers.

It is known that wusuf safari officers have a big role in the success of the wusuf safari program. The program is the flagship program for organizing Hajj in 2025.

A total of 120 wusuf safari officers serve and accompany 477 elderly pilgrims, people with disabilities, and high risk. The officer is divided into 10 teams. Each team consists of one doctor, one nurse, and the rest is a combination of the elderly officer and worship guide.

This wusuf safari task force is tasked with serving and caring for pilgrims for 10 days, namely on June 1'10, 2025 at the transit hotel Safari wukuf.

Previously, the Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar had dismissed the issue of illegal levies in the wuhkuf safari of elderly pilgrims and the high risk carried out by Hajj officers.

"So, the issue that there are levies from the congregation by the officers is not true at all. We have sent the Inspector General of the Ministry of Religion. We have clarified everything and we have called the person as well," said the Minister of Religion in Makkah, Wednesday, June 11.

Nasaruddin Umar said that the levy was not a matter of wuskuf safari, but a problem of badal hajj and related to the Hajj guidance group (KBIH), not the Hajj organizer (PPIH).

The Minister of Religion explained that the badal hajj had packages (costs), ranging from mandatory Umrah, Arafah, Muzdalifah, Mina, Jamarat, to tawaf ifadah.

"So, there are costs that must be incurred by pilgrims if they want to badal hajj and they communicate with KBIH," said the Minister of Religion.

The elderly wusuf safari service is a special facility provided free of charge by the government.

This wusuf safari allows pilgrims who are physically unable to carry out the hajj pillars, especially wukuf in Arafah, by facilitating the bus fleet.