Religious Affairs Ministry Improves Catering Services for 2018 Hajj
The Government through Ministry of Religious Affairs continues to improve its services to Indonesian hajj pilgrims, including catering services. Last year, Indonesian hajj pilgrims only had 60 times catering services during their stay in Saudi Arabia, while this year they will have 75 times.
“A total of 40 times in Makkah, once at the airport, 18 times in Medina, and 16 times during the peak phase of Hajj in Arafat-Muzdalifah-Mina (Armina),” Head of Sub Directorate of Hajj Catering of Ministry of Religious Affairs Abdullah Yunus said on the occasion of Dissemination of Hajj Service Improvement in Saudi Arabia 1439H/2018M at JW Marriott Hotel, Medan, last weekend.
To that end, Abdullah suggested that pilgrims no longer need to bring too much food.
“Catering services will not be available for five days only, that is, on 5-7 Zulhijja and 14-15 Zulhijja,” Abdullah explained while reminding the pilgrims not to delay eating when catering service has been received.
“The meals should be eaten before the best before date as stated on the packaging passes,” Abdullah continued.
Here is a list of catering service distributions:
- Madinah
Lunch meals are set to be distributed from 10am to 1pm Arabia Standard Time (AST). “We hope before dzuhur the meals have been distributed,” Abdullah said. Meanwhile, for dinner, meal distribution is from 4pm to 8pm.
- Makkah
Lunch meals are set to be distributed from 8am to 11am AST, while for dinner from 5pm to 9pm AST.
- Armina
Breakfast meals are set to be distributed from 6am to 9am AST. Lunch is from 11am to 1pm, and dinner from 5pm to 7pm AST.
Meanwhile, Director of Overseas Hajj Services Sri Ilham Lubis said that this year pilgrims do not need to carry their suitcase from lobby to hotel room. Therefore, the suitcase will be delivered to their room by hotel officers.
“Last year, the hajj pilgrims carry their suitcase from the hotel lobby to the room. This year, we have asked the hotel owners to provide the service,” Sri explained.
Sri also ensured that a number of services that have been running well in the past year are still running this year. One of them is the obligation of the hotel to provide mineral water one liter per day.
For the record, Ministry of Religious Affairs has rented 165 hotels in Makkah and 107 hotels in Madinah with a minimum equivalent of three-star hotel.
The farthest hotel in Makkah from the Grand Mosque is 4,390 meters, while the closest is 900 m. For in Madinah, the farthest hotel from the Prophet Mosque is 650 m. “All hotels are in the territory of markaziah or prayer center,” she concluded. (Public Relations of the Ministry of Religious Affairs/ES) (MUR/MMB/YM/Naster).
