Hajj 2021 Cancels, Adhie Massardi Accuses There Is A Diplomatic Problem Between Indonesia And Saudi Arabia

ILLUSTRATION/UNSPLASH

JAKARTA - The government officially canceled the implementation of Hajj 1442 H/2021 AD and ensured not to send Indonesian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. In fact, Saudi Arabia has not announced this year's hajj quota.

The spokesman for the fourth President of the Republic of Indonesia, Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), Adhie Massardi, suspected that this was due to the troubled diplomatic relations between the Indonesian government and Saudi Arabia.

"I am surprised that if there is a problem with the issue of early notification (cancellation of the hajj), there has been no negotiation. There must be a diplomatic problem in this Republic, between our government and Saudi Arabia," Adhie said in a virtual discussion, Tuesday, June 8.

According to Adhie, diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia since the colonial era have been fairly good. Therefore, he was surprised if the government canceled this year's hajj. He asked the DPR to investigate it.

"This is what our friends in the DPR need to check, what is happening in our diplomacy, fellow Muslims who have been very respectful all this time, why suddenly there seems to be a problem," he said.

Previously, Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas stated that this decision took into account the health and safety of the congregation in the midst of the Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic which is still afflicting the world.

"Because it is still a pandemic and for the safety of the congregation, the Government has decided that this year it will not send back Indonesian Hajj pilgrims," said the Minister of Religion at a press conference at the Ministry of Religion's office, Jakarta, Thursday, June 3.

Minister of Religion Yaqut emphasized that this decision had gone through an in-depth study. The Ministry of Religion has held discussions with Commission VIII of the DPR on June 2, 2021.

Observing the safety of the hajj pilgrims, the technical aspects of preparation, and the policies taken by the Saudi Arabian government authorities, Commission VIII of the DPR in the conclusion of the working meeting also conveyed respect for the decisions to be taken by the Government.

"Commission VIII of the House of Representatives and the Ministry of Religion, together with other stakeholders, will work together to carry out good and massive public outreach and communication regarding the policy for the Implementation of the Hajj 1442 H/2021 M," said the Minister of Religion.

The latest news mentions the cancellation of the Hajj due to a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines. Consul for Hajj at the Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah, Endang Jumali, revealed that his party had just received information regarding the reason Saudi Arabia had not announced any official information regarding the 2021 Hajj.

According to him, based on the explanation given by the Acting Minister of Media/Information Saudi Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, the mutation of the COVID-19 virus and the scarcity of vaccines are one of the reasons.

"The mutation of the COVID-19 virus, the scarcity of vaccines, and the development of the COVID-19 outbreak are the reasons Saudi Arabia has not announced the mechanism for organizing this year's Hajj," explained Endang.