Indonesian Hajj Supervisory Delivers 9 Recommendations to President

Delegates of Indonesian Hajj Supervisory Commission (KPHI) meet President Jokowi on Tuesday (16/4), at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta

Indonesian Hajj Supervisory Commission (KPHI) considered the needs to reform Hajj organizers, including institutional aspects of financial governance and service operational.

The statement was made by Head of KPHI Samidin Nashir during the meeting with President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo on Tuesday (16/4), at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.

There are nine recommendations from the KPHI to the management of Hajj organization each year, among others: 1. Organization, governance, and officer monitoring aspect; 2. Financial administration aspect; 3. Hajj guidance implementation; 4. Accommodation service; 5. Transportation service; 6. Food service; 7. Health service; 8. Pilgrims’ protection and security aspects; and 9. Supervision of the implementation of special Hajj and Umrah.

In terms of the administration, KPIH suggested that all apparatus in Ministry of Religious Affairs need to complete the documents of the pilgrims before their departures.

Meanwhile for the financial matter, KPIH suggested Hajj fund to be managed professionally

KPIH also suggested a provision that regulates Hajj pilgrims who can not depart due to health issues and increase the number of Hajj Manasik (rites and ceremonies) guidance.

“Hajj pilgrims in Malaysia perform 17 Hajj Manasiks, therefore, Indonesia is encouraged to do 10 Hajj Manasiks in order to create independent Hall pilgrims in performing Hajj,” Samidin explained.

In terms of the accommodation service, KPHI recommended to integrate pilgrims accommodation with the transportation and food catering, as well as improve the quality of accommodation in Arafah and Mina (Armina) so the pilgrims will not have hard experiences.

KPHI also recommended the use of upgraded buses to transport the pilgrims and fly the Hajj pilgrims group 1 to Medina, and group 2 to Jeddah as accordance to the Government measure.

KPHI reminded all to not let Hajj pilgrims starve during their stays in Mecca.

“Hajj pilgrims must be provided with enough meals and 3 liters of water at minimum, and it has been implemented since 2013,” Samidin said.

The state has an obligation to protect its own citizens, particularly in other countries.

“It must be carried out to the fullest, unless there is a possibility of a missing Indonesian Hajj pilgrim. Therefore, I asked TNI and Polri to add their apparatus to 109 people because TNI and Polri play important roles,” Samidin added.

Besides those points, KPHI also suggested to restructure Hajj Executive Committee (PPIH) and prepare PPIH to became a more professional committee.

“The officers in PPIH must undergo a professional selection and multiply the participation of Indonesian National Defence Forces (TNI), and National Police (Polri),” Samidin said.

“President Jokowi responded to the recommendations positively,” Samidin told the reporters after being received by the President.

President Jokowi instructed Minister of State Secretary Pratikno to conduct a limited meeting immediately to seek a way out of the problems, Samidin added.

President Jokowi was accompanied by Minister of State Secretary Pratikno in the event. (DID/ES)(RAS/EP/YM/Naster)