Changes In BP Hajj To Ministry Of Hajj And Umrah Wait For Presidential Decree

Deputy Head Of The Hajj Organizing Agency (BP Hajj) Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak/ANTARA

Deputy Head of the Hajj Organizing Agency, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, stated that the change in the nomenclature of BP Haji to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah was part of President Prabowo Subianto's vision since his candidacy in the 2014 Presidential Election.

"Since 2014, Pak Prabowo has had a vision to form the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. This is consistent until the 2019 and 2024 presidential elections," said Dahnil as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, August 23.

Dahnil said the next step after determining the nomenclature was to wait for the issuance of a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) which would regulate the organizational and work procedures (SOTK), as well as institutions from the new ministry.

"After the law is passed, the next process is the preparation of the Presidential Decree. Later this Presidential Regulation will further regulate the institutional affairs and structure of the ministry," said Dahnil.

He emphasized that the formation of this ministry was not a temporary reaction to the dynamics of organizing the hajj in recent years, but part of the long-designed hajj reform agenda.

"This is not a reaction from the 2024 case or previous years. From the start, the formation of this ministry was part of improving Hajj governance which was Pak Prabowo's commitment," said the spokesman for Prabowo Subianto.

However, said Dahnil, the realization of the ministry's formation had been hit by Law Number 8 of 2019 which stipulated that the organizers of the pilgrimage were the Ministry of Religion. For this reason, as a transitional solution, BP Haji was formed.

After the revision of the law and the majority of factions in the DPR support the flow of the formation of the Ministry of Hajj, it is in line with the President's vision.

"Alhamdulillah, now we are just waiting for the finalization of the derivative regulations," he said.

Previously, Commission VIII of the DPR together with the government agreed to amend the Hajj Organizing Body (BP) to become a ministry in the discussion of the Draft Law (RUU) on Amendments to Law Number 8 of the Year concerning the Implementation of Hajj and Umrah.

Chairman of Commission VIII DPR RI Marwan Dasopang said the article regarding this was agreed in a Working Committee (Panja) meeting of the Hajj Bill which was held this Friday. According to him, the changes are in accordance with what the DPR RI wants.

"The government's DIM (LIST of Problem Inventory) has been approved by the ministry. And we're just happy, it's our proposal," said Marwan.