Minister Of Religion Yaqut Proposes The 2022 Hajj Fee To Increase To IDR 45 Million Per Congregation

Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas/DOK Private Instagram

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) proposed the cost of hajj 1443 Hijri/2022 AD of IDR 45 million per congregation. The proposed hajj fee increased from the previous year, which was Rp. 44.3 per congregation.

The Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas had previously submitted a working meeting with Commission VIII of the DPR RI which was attended virtually on Wednesday, February 17.

"The proposed cost of organizing the pilgrimage in 1443 Hijri / 2022 AD is IDR 45,053,368 per congregation," said Minister of Religion Yaqut.

The cost of Rp45 million will be used for the needs of the congregation including flight costs, living costs, some costs in Mecca and Medina, visa fees, and PCR costs in Saudi Arabia.

Minister of Religion Yaqut explained that the consideration of increasing the cost of Hajj for 2022 was to balance the burden on the congregation and the continuity of the pilgrimage the following year.

"The balance is to relieve the congregation with the costs to be paid," said Minister of Religion Yaqut.

To note, the cost of the Indonesian pilgrims' hajj for 2022 is higher than the previous 2 years. In 2020, the cost will be IDR 31.45 million to IDR 38.35 million, while in 2021 it will be IDR 44.3 million

Previously, the regular BPIH in 2020 was Rp. 31.45 million to Rp. 38.35 million, while in 2021 it was Rp. 44.3 million.

The BPIH component charged from indirect financing funds is proposed to be Rp. 8.9 trillion, including the value of benefits, hajj efficiency funds, and other legitimate sources.

The Minister of Religion continued, the determination of hajj flights will also be prepared by taking into account the distance from each embarkation to Saudi Arabia, the principles of rationality, fairness of price, and quality of service in financing the BPIH component with the Standard Input Fee (SBM) set by the Minister of Finance.

"The basis of financing in Saudi Arabia is using Ta'limatul Hajj set by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Efficiency and effectiveness are reasonable in cost," said Yaqut

However, Yaqut said that the government of Saudi Arabia still has not provided certainty regarding the implementation of the 1443 Hijri pilgrimage.

If referring to the hijri calendar and normal assumptions, he said, the first pilgrims will start leaving in the next three months. This means that the preparation for the departure of the pilgrimage is relatively short. "But there is no certainty, hopefully not in a hurry," said Yaqut.