Determination of Hajj Fees for 2023, Coordinating Minister for PMK: At Least Take the Middle Path

The arrival of the Aceh Hajj pilgrims to Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport, Aceh Besar, in 2019. (ANTARA-Khalis Surry)

JAKARTA - It is targeted that the amount of the 2023 Hajj fee will be determined today, Tuesday, February 14. Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy said the government pays attention to the voice of the people when deciding on the number of expenses for the pilgrimage.

Muhadjir said he had discussed the proposed cost of the pilgrimage with the Ministry of Religion as a technical ministry.

"Basically, we are trying to find a more prudent way in the sense that it can be accepted by all parties, even though the acceptance may not be 100 per cent, but at least take the middle way", said the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture at the Jakarta Presidential Palace, Tuesday, February 14, confiscated by Antara.

Previously, the Ministry of Religion proposed that the average cost of the pilgrimage trip or BPIH in 1444 Hijriah/2023 was IDR 69,193,733 per person, higher than the cost of the pilgrimage trip in 2022 which was set at IDR 39,886,009 per person.

However, this amount is not final. It is planned that the Ministry of Religion and Commission VIII of the DPR is scheduled to determine the number of costs for organizing the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage on Tuesday 14 February 2023.

Previously the Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas also explained that the average cost of the proposed pilgrimage journey covered 70 per cent of the proposed BPIH average of IDR 98,893,909 per person.

The remaining 30 per cent or IDR 29,700,175 is taken from the value of the benefits of managing the Hajj funds.

According to the Minister of Religion, the formulation of the new BPIH component is implemented to balance the burden on pilgrims with the continued use of the value of the benefits of managing Hajj funds in the future.

However, the proposed scheme will again be discussed with Commission VIII of the Indonesia House of Representatives to find a middle ground.

One of them is by suppressing the time of the pilgrimage. Chairman of the Working Committee (Panja) on the Costs of Organizing the Hajj (BPIH) Commission VIII Indonesia House of Representatives Marwan Dasopang also assessed that the implementation of the Hajj with a duration of 35 days could be carried out in 2023.

In his calculations, the Panja said that the period of the Hajj pilgrimage was actually sufficient to be carried out for 30 days, assuming nine days in Medina, six days on Tasyrik days, and 15 days in Mecca.

Through organizing the 30-day Hajj, he said, there would be budget savings of up to IDR 1.2 trillion.