Call for edict on haj pilgrimage<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Legislators called on the influential Indonesian
\nUlemas Council (MUI) yesterday to issue an edict restricting
\nMoslems from going on repeat haj pilgrimages.<\/p>\n
Slamet Effendy Yusuf of the Golkar faction and H.S. Djathi
\nKoesoemo of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) made the
\nsuggestion during a hearing with Minister of Religious Affairs
\nTarmizi Taher at the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
The legislators cited annual complaints by Indonesian Moslems
\nwho could not go on the haj pilgrimage to Mecca because the quota
\nset by the Saudi Arabian government filled up too quickly,
\nincluding with those who have gone before.<\/p>\n
During the 1997 haj season in March, 195,000 Indonesians went
\non the pilgrimage, with 7 percent of them repeat pilgrims. Last
\nyear the figure was 5 percent.<\/p>\n
As of yesterday afternoon, or the third day since registration
\nopened on Monday, 163,225 people have registered for next year's
\nhaj. The haj fee is Rp 8,805,000 (US$3,201)<\/p>\n
Indonesia's quota for next year's haj is still 200,000
\npilgrims.<\/p>\n
Slamet and Djathi urged the government to persuade MUI to
\nissue the edict so that the opportunity to go could be
\ndistributed among first-timers.<\/p>\n
\"Priority should be given to those who are going for the first
\ntime,\" Djathi said.<\/p>\n
Slamet acknowledged that some people may not respond well to
\nthe restriction effort as it concerned everyone's right to
\nperform the religious rite.<\/p>\n
\"The ulemas of MUI should therefore first agree (to issue an
\nedict) before a restriction is implemented in a government
\ndecree,\" he said, adding that repeat pilgrims should be allowed
\nat an interval of at least seven years.<\/p>\n
He argued that an edict should be more effective compared to
\nearlier calls by the government on Moslems not to go on repeat
\nhaj pilgrimages.<\/p>\n
\"The government has for the past five years spoken against
\nrepeat haj, and yet the number keeps increasing,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Minister Tarmizi agreed that MUI may need to issue the edict,
\nbut said the government would not regulate any restriction.<\/p>\n
He promised to discuss the suggestion with the ulemas. (10)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/call-for-edict-on-haj-pilgrimage-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }