Ministry Of Religion Will Cross Out Catering Providers Who Don't Use Indonesian Products

The Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religion Hilman Latief in the National Working Meeting for Evaluation of the Implementation of Hajj 1444H/2023M. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenag)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion will write off service providers for pilgrims who do not want to use Indonesian products, because they do not comply with the principles of equal and mutually beneficial cooperation.

"We encourage our catering providers to use as many Indonesian products as possible. Strike out kitchens that do not want to use Indonesian products," said Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religion, Hilman Latief, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, September 7.

Hilman said the cost of organizing the pilgrimage was very large, reaching IDR 19 trillion every hajj season. One of the very large needs is the provision of pilgrims catering which reaches around IDR 2 trillion.

Given the large budget for catering supply, said Hilman, it is necessary to carry out mutually beneficial cooperation contracts.

"Good kitchen, check and extend. Uncooperative kitchens, don't want to buy our products, just cross out," he said.

Hilman said optimizing the use of Indonesian products in the implementation of the pilgrimage must continue to be fought for. Gradually, it has begun and must continue to be improved.

"We have an interest in fighting for the use of Indonesian products. So we have to fight. After all, the people of Indonesia will benefit," he said.

During the 1444H/2023M Hajj pilgrimage, the Saudi Arabia Hajj Organizing Committee (PPIH) has distributed around 5,480,625 catering boxes to Indonesian pilgrims.

Meanwhile in Mecca, a total of 14,506,169 catering boxes were distributed to Indonesian pilgrims. A total of 7,774,613 boxes were distributed before the peak of the hajj.

As many as 6,731,556 boxes were distributed after the peak of the hajj. This number is outside the Arafah, Mudzalifah, and Mina catering services.