Kemenag Bring Good News! Hajj Quota In South Kalimantan Back To Normal 3,800 People

Head of Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion South Kalimantan Dr H Muhammad Tambrin (ANTARA)

BANJARMASIN - Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of South Kalimantan Province Muhammad Tambrin stated that the Hajj quota for the Embarkation of Banjarmasin Hajj, South Kalimantan will return to normal as many as 3,800 people. "God willing, our regional Hajj quota will return to normal at 3,800 people," he said in Banjarmasin, quoted from Antara, Sunday, January 8. Tambrin conveyed this because of the release of the Ministry of Religion that Indonesia and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had signed an agreement to organize the 1444 H/2023 M pilgrimage. The agreement was signed today by the Indonesian Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas with the Minister of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia Tawfiq F Al Rabiah in Jeddah. "Alhamdulillah, the 2023 Hajj mission has begun. I signed a Hajj agreement with the Minister of Hajj of Saudi Arabia today. This year's Indonesian Hajj quota is 221,000 pilgrims," explained the Minister of Religion in Jeddah, Sunday. With the national hajj quota in 2023 again as before the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020, said Tambrin, the Hajj quota in South Kalimantan is large again. "Hopefully there will be no changes. Thank you, Mr. Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia Gus Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, for the negotiations and lobby with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," he said. Previously, namely, in the 2022 Hajj season, the quota for Hajj in South Kalimantan was 1,743 people. Meanwhile, in 2019 there were 3,818 people. Tambrin shared the release of the Indonesian Ministry of Religion, that Indonesia and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement to organize the 1444 H/2023 M Hajj. The agreement was signed today by Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas with Saudi Arabia's Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq F Al Rabiah in Jeddah. Also witnessing, Chairman of Commission VIII Ashabul Kahfi, Director General of Hajj and Umrah Implementation Hilman Latief, as well as Head of the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) Fadlul Imansyah. Also present were the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religion Nizar Ali, Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Abdul Aziz Ahmad, Special Staff to the Minister of Religion Wibowo Prasetyo and Ishfah Abidal Aziz, as well as Consul for Hajj of the Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah Nasrullah Jasam. On that occasion, the Minister of Religion also conveyed greetings from President Joko Widodo to His Majesty King Salman and Prince Muhammad Bin Salman. So far, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia have been in a very close relationship. "Alhamdulillah, the 2023 Hajj mission has begun. I signed a Hajj agreement with the Minister of Hajj of Saudi Arabia today. This year's Indonesian Hajj quota is 221,000 pilgrims," explained the Minister of Religion in Jeddah, Sunday. "The quota consists of 203,320 regular Hajj pilgrims, and 17,680 special Hajj pilgrims. As for the officers, this year we get 4,200 quotas," he continued. Apart from quota, this agreement also regulates the landing of aircraft in Jeddah and Medina, as well as some of the latest policies related to Hajj services. The Minister of Religion said that in talks with the Saudi Minister of Hajj, it was agreed that there would be no age restrictions. As is known, due to the pandemic, the Saudi Arabian government limited the age of pilgrims. At that time, Saudi Arabia applied the requirements for the age of 2022 pilgrims under 65 years old. "According to the agreement, this year there will be no restrictions on the age of Hajj pilgrims," said the Minister of Religion. "This means that pilgrims 65 years and over can also go for Hajj this year," he continued.