Hajj Costs Increase By IDR 69 Million, Komnas Haji Calls Because Of The Cost Ofarchy Also Increases

A prospective hajj candidate takes care of paying the hajj fee at the Pekalongan City Ministry of Religion Office, Friday (13/5/2022). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The National Hajj and Umrah Commission said that an increase in the cost of Hajj which reached Rp. 69 million was proposed by the Ministry of Religion in a meeting with Commission VIII of the DPR RI in accordance with the needs of various price components such as catering, medicines, and increased accommodation.

"The increase in Hajj costs is difficult to avoid because it is triggered by the increase in various components of need, both in the country and in Saudi Arabia," said Komnas Haji and Umrah chairman Mustolih Siradj to Antara, Friday, January 20.

Previously, Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas in a meeting with Commission VIII DPR RI proposed an average cost of Hajj or Bipih trips in 1444 Hijri/2023 AD amounting to Rp 69,193,733 per person.

The proposed average cost of Hajj travel covers 70 percent of the average Hajj Implementation Fee (BPIH) proposed at IDR 98,893,909 per person, an increase of IDR 514,888 when compared to the previous year.

Mustorih stated that the cost of raising the hajj was a difficult consequence, especially if the comparison was to use reference costs before the pandemic in 2019.

"The cost of air transportation because the avtur also goes up, hotels, boarding houses, land transportation, catering, medicines, medical devices and so on, not to mention the influence of inflation, so the cost of Hajj must adapt to the situation," he said.

The draft fee proposed by the Minister of Religion, he said, was an effort to rationalize, sustainability, and financial health.

Because, he said, so far the subsidy to BPIH supported by subsidies from funds originating from the results of Hajj financial management is too large and tends to be unhealthy.

"Therefore, there must be bold steps to correct and balance. The rights and interests of the millions of pilgrims must also be protected," he said.

However, Mustorih hopes that the proposed increase in Hajj costs can still be lowered by efficiency in combing the cost components that can be cut without reducing and having an impact on the quality of the services for organizing the hajj.

He also hopes that the issue of hajj funds will not only be conveyed to the public, but also the implementation of special hajj costs managed by travel (special hajj organizers).

"It's also important to publish because there are thousands of people who become candidates for special Hajj pilgrims," he said.