Indonesia Gets Hajj Quota of 221,000 Per Year

President Jokowi gives a press conference at the Merdeka Palace, Wednesday (11/1) (Photo by: Public Relations Division/Jay)

Indonesia’s Hajj quota has returned to the normal figure of 211,000 a year from the previous 168,000.  “The Saudi Arabian Government, which in this case Minister of Hajj and Umrah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has decided to return Hajj quota for Indonesia from 168,800 into 211,000 for 2017,” the President said in a press conference on Wednesday (11/1) at the Merdeka Palace.

In addition, the Saudi Arabian Government has also given an additional 10,000 quotas, President Jokowi said. “Thus, Indonesia’s Hajj quota for 2017 has increased from 168,800 into 221,000. It means Indonesia has a 52,220 quota increase,” President Jokowi said.

President Jokowi explained that as the follow up of his visit to Arab Saudi in September 2015 and his meeting with Saudi Arabian Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud in Hangzhou in September last year, he had instructed Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin and Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi to have further talks with the Saudi Arabian Government. As a result, the President said, the Saudi Arabian Government has decided to return the quota for Indonesia from 168,800 into 211.000 in 2017.

For the record, Hajj quota for Indonesia and other countries was cut by 20 percent in 2013 due to the renovation of the Masjidil Haram Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia.

President Jokowi also expressed his highest appreciation to the Government of Saudi Arabia who has given additional Hajj quota for Indonesia. “We would also like to express our appreciation and gratitude to the Government of Saudi Arabia for continually improving services for Hajj pilgrims including Hajj pilgrims from Indonesia,” the President said.

Following the decision, President Jokowi hopes that the preparation for Hajj this year can be done earlier.

On that occasion, President Jokowi also mentioned the planned visit by Saudi Arabian Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud to Indonesia in March this year. “We certainly welcome the plan,” the President said.

Accompanying the President at the press conference were Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, and Minister of State Secretary Pratikno. (FID/ES)  (EP/YM/Naster)