Commission VIII Of The House Of Representatives Has Opened The Possibility Of Increasing The Cost Of Hajj To Less Than IDR 69 Million

Illustration of the pilgrimage at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic wascamated. (Antarananews)

JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the MPR Yandri Susanto opened the possibility that the discourse on the amount of the tariff for Hajj or BPIH 2023 was cut by not Rp. 69,193,733.60 per congregation. Previously, the cost of Hajj was Rp. 39.8 million.

This member of Commission VIII of the DPR asked the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag), including the Hajj Panja, to seriously look at all items involving the amount of the pilgrimage so that it can be reduced.

"For example, is it true that the plane ticket is Rp. 33 million, can it still be reduced down. I think it should be possible. Then hotels, catering, and so on," he said at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, January 24, confiscated by Antara.

However, Yandri asked prospective pilgrims not to worry about the cost of going up for the 2023 Hajj, which is still being debated at this time.

"We ask all prospective pilgrims who will depart in 2023 not to be too worried or confused because Commission VIII of the DPR RI and the government will discuss in detail. God willing, the results will most likely remain below IDR 69 million," he said.

Regarding the certainty of how much is paid, he said, it will be decided at the working committee level and will be brought to the DPR Commission VIII Working Meeting.

He ensured that the Rp69 million figure was still limited to a proposal from the Ministry of Religion and had not yet become a final decision.

He explained, as part of Commission VIII of the DPR and Panja Haji will discuss in detail and transparently so that later decisions related to the cost of Hajj will not burden the community.

"We have to calculate that the Hajj or money managed by the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) remains healthy for the sustainability of the implementation of the pilgrimage in the future," he said.

Previously, the Ministry of Religion proposed that the average tariff for Hajj or BPIH 2023 be IDR 98.89 million per congregation increased by IDR 514.88 thousand compared to last year.

Of this amount, the costs that need to be borne per congregation reach 70 percent or IDR 69.19 million per person. Meanwhile, the remaining 30 percent or IDR 29.7 million is paid out of the value of the benefits of managing hajj funds.

"This proposal is based on the consideration of fulfilling the principles of justice and the sustainability of hajj funds. This formulation has gone through a study process," said Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Thursday, January 19.