Age Beyond 65 Years, 145 Prospective Hajj Pilgrims From Aceh Resigned

Illustration-Arrival of Aceh's debarkated hajj pilgrims to Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport, Aceh Besar (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) of Aceh Province stated that as many as 145 prospective hajj pilgrims (CJH) in the province canceled their departure for the Holy Land in 2022. The majority of CJHs resigned due to age restrictions.

"So far, 145 people have resigned," said Head of the Ministry of Religion's Hajj and Umrah (PHU) Organizing Division, Aceh Arijal, in Banda Aceh, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, May 11.

Arijal explained that the resignation of CJH Aceh was due to the end of restrictions for prospective pilgrims who would depart. Then there is also the health condition of the prospective pilgrims who do not allow them to leave.

"There are those who have passed the age limit of 65 years, there are also those who are sick and so on," he said.

However, generally those who resign are due to the age restriction policy. For example, he said, a wife can leave, but her husband fails to go because he is over 65 years old.

So under these conditions, he continued, the couple chose to withdraw from leaving this year, and postpone their departure to the Holy Land the following year.

"It's impossible for the husband to stay, the wife to leave. So they want to be together, so they choose to postpone it, God willing, next year they can go," he said.

Nevertheless, Arijal asked the public not to conclude wrongly with Saudi Arabia's policy of limiting the age of CJH in 2022, only for those under 65 years of age.

According to him, the 65-year age restriction policy only applies this year, not forever.

"So this year Saudi Arabia postponed first, for those who are over 65 years old because of possible health risks. If next year it is safe, the conditions are good, then there will be no problem," he said.

The Aceh Ministry of Religion has received a quota of 1,988 pilgrims for this year's Hajj pilgrimage. Currently, his party has set a departure quota for 23 regencies/cities, as well as preparing 400 people as reserves.