JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the MPR Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW) asked the Indonesian government to find a solution to the Saudi Arabian government's latest decision regarding the conditional umrah. Moreover, the Ministry of Religion said it had formed a team with other ministries to discuss the regulation.
"The Indonesian government immediately lobbied the Saudi Arabian government by increasing its level," said HNW, Wednesday, July 28.
The deputy chairman of the PKS Shura Council reminded that it was not enough for the consulate general in Jeddah to carry out these lobbies. However, said HNW, President Joko Widodo or Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Coumas must also intervene to immediately communicate directly with King Salman.
"If Saudi attitudes are also related to the progress of handling the COVID-19 problem, the Ministry of Religion's role in improving the handling of COVID-19 in Indonesia is very important," he explained.
The Saudi Arabian government previously allowed international pilgrims to perform Umrah 1443 Hijri with several health protocol requirements. However, Indonesia and 8 other countries cannot make direct flights to the Holy Land.
In the latest provisions, pilgrims from these 9 countries are required to transit to quarantine in a third country for 14 days before arriving in Saudi Arabia. Among them, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, and Lebanon.
According to HNW, Saudi Arabia's latest decision is also proof that the handling of COVID-19 in the country is not optimal. Because, in addition to causing a lot of casualties and the economy, it can also spread to other problems, namely that Umrah becomes difficult.
"Indonesia seems to be 'scared' by other countries. Some are evacuating their citizens from Indonesia, some are closing their doors to the arrival of people from Indonesia, including in matters of Umrah," he said.
According to HNW, the government should immediately correct and provide encouragement to be effective in solving the COVID-19 pandemic, which has not shown a significant decline even though PPKM level 4 has been extended.
In addition, the member of the House of Representatives Commission VIII for religion also highlighted other requirements set by the Saudi Arabian government. Namely, prospective Umrah pilgrims must already have a vaccine certificate from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson products.
Meanwhile, for Umrah pilgrims who have been vaccinated with Sinovac or vaccines from China in full (twice) they must still be boosted with vaccines with the mentioned brands.
"The 14-day quarantine process in third countries will certainly harm Umrah pilgrims from Indonesia, both in terms of time and cost. Not to mention the problem of getting a country that allows transit for prospective Umrah pilgrims. This should really be a concern for the Indonesian government," said the Indonesian government. HNW.
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