Hajj Costs Rise Due To Changes In Flight Fares And Health Protocols

Photo by ekrem osmanoglu on Unsplash

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion explained that the proposed Hajj Travel Cost (BPIH) 1443 Hijri was Rp. 45 million or an increase compared to 2020 (Rp. 31-Rp. 38 million) due to adjustments to the cost of health protocols and an increase in flight fares.

"Regarding the increase in BPIH this year to Rp45 million, this is because there is a fairly large prokes cost of around Rp.7.6 million, which in 2020 did not exist," said Director of Hajj Fund Management and Integrated Hajj Information System (Sihdu) at the Directorate General The Ministry of Religion's Hajj and Umrah PHU Jaja Jaelani was quoted on the Ministry of Religion's official Hajj website in Jakarta, Monday, February 21.

The following, due to an increase in flight fares. Including an increase in operational costs in Saudi Arabia as well as several increases in operational costs in the country.

Jaja explained the details of the components of the cost of this year's Hajj pilgrims including the cost of the PCR swab test for pilgrims at the Hajj Dormitory twice (departure and arrival in Indonesia).

The cost of the PCR swab test in Saudi Arabia is three times (on arrival, during quarantine and when returning to the country), accommodation and consumption for five days of quarantine in Jeddah, as well as accommodation and consumption at the Hajj Dormitory upon arrival from Saudi Arabia.

According to him, the submission of BPIH proposals is submitted annually by the government, in this case the Ministry of Religion to the DPR, to be discussed together in a working committee meeting (Panja).

"The government submits a proposal every year to the DPR to get approval and discussion regarding the implementation of the current year's Hajj," he said.

The amount of the proposed BPIH, said Jaja, took into account the current conditions when the pandemic was still happening. Thus, the government must make an optimal planning program.

"In a sense, this financial planning must refer to Hajj operations 100 percent, because we don't know for sure what the conditions will be in the future," said Jaja.

However, according to Jaja, the amount of BPIH that has been proposed is an initial estimate so it is still subject to change. The DPR also ensured that the amount was not final, because it still had to be discussed in its entirety in the BPIH Panja.

The House of Representatives, the Ministry of Religion and the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) will hold discussions to decide how much the final cost of organizing the Hajj 1443 Hijri / 2022 AD will be.

"Later on, together with BPKH, after getting a decision from the DPR, how much of the burden from BPIH will be borne by the congregation, because the initial deposit of Rp. 25 million has been paid by the congregation through BPS (Deposit Receiving Bank), there will be a repayment fee. This repayment fee is what we are currently discussing together -same with the DPR," said Jaja.