Govt open to suggestions on haj operation<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Religious Affairs, facing strong
\ncriticism over the chaos marring this year's haj pilgrimage, says
\nit is open to suggestions on how the operation might be improved.<\/p>\n
Amidhan, the ministry's Director General for Islamic and Haj
\nAffairs, has invited the Indonesian Consumers Organization (YLKI)
\nto engage in \"constructive talks\".<\/p>\n
\"The government is ready to hold constructive discussions with
\nthe YLKI,\" Amidhan was quoted by the Antara news agency as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
Zoemrotin K.S., chairman of the YLKI, lashed out at the
\ngovernment last week for glitches in the ongoing haj operation,
\nincluding the chaotic processing of travel documents which has
\ncaused some 2,000 prospective pilgrims to have their departure
\npostponed.<\/p>\n
Zoemrotin called this year's operation \"the worst\", citing
\nvarious problems which showed, he said, the \"ineffectiveness of
\nthe haj operation, which also causes the haj fees to be very
\nexpensive\".<\/p>\n
This year's haj fee is about Rp 7 million (approximately
\nUS$3,100).<\/p>\n
Amidhan acknowledged the organization's concern for the
\nprotection of Moslems as consumers, but reproached it for making
\narbitrary comparisons. \"If this year's operation is the worst,
\nwhat's the comparison?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
Another criticism came on Saturday from the Muhammadiyah
\nMoslem organization. Chairman Amien Rais attacked unscrupulous
\nofficials and organizers who, he said, exploited pilgrims.<\/p>\n
\"Don't treat the prospective pilgrims like they are a milk
\ncow,\" he said. \"Stop this exploitation of prospective pilgrims by
\nirresponsible people.\"<\/p>\n
He warned that if prospective pilgrims were so poorly treated
\nthey might be driven to hold protests, which might create even
\ngreater problems.<\/p>\n
\"This (situation) could stir up trouble, which, in turn, could
\nbe manipulated by certain groups of people,\" he said. \"Pilgrims
\nare basically honest people, so don't let them become the targets
\nof extortion.\"<\/p>\n
However, he admitted that some of the problems that emerged
\nprior to and during the sending of this year's haj pilgrims could
\nnot be separated from the surprising increase in the number of
\npeople registering to go on the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi
\nArabia.<\/p>\n
Amien called for improvements to haj management and the
\nquality of officials. \"The chaos is partly caused by some
\nofficials' poor preparation in handling the increase in the
\nnumber of haj pilgrims,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"This should be a lesson for future haj operations,\" he
\nconcluded.<\/p>\n
Amidhan yesterday reassured prospective pilgrims from Jakarta
\nwho have had their departure delayed that the government was
\ndoing its best to solve the problem.<\/p>\n
He said the authorities had processed 23,944 passports and
\nvisas for Jakarta's pilgrims, but had yet to issue documents for
\nthe remaining 7,010 pilgrims who registered in the capital.<\/p>\n
Amidhan put some of the blame on the pilgrims themselves for
\nlacking discipline and attempting, for instance, to jump the
\nqueue for visas.<\/p>\n
He was at pains to point out that the Saudi Arabian embassy
\nhere had worked hard in processing the visas. The embassy has
\nbeen issuing 5,000 to 10,000 visas every day.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Indonesian consulate in Jeddah announced on
\nSaturday that two female pilgrims from East Kalimantan had died
\nof heart attacks on Friday.<\/p>\n
The ministry announced that Minister of Religious Affairs
\nTarmizi Taher, together with director of haj guidance Dr. M.
\nBambang Pranowo, arrived in Jeddah on Friday for further talks
\nwith Saudi officials about the haj quota.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi is undertaking a last minute campaign to convince
\nSaudi Arabia to allow more Indonesian pilgrims to go.<\/p>\n
As of Saturday, according to the ministry's records, a total
\nof 26,668 pilgrims have departed for Saudi Arabia on 63 flights.
\n(swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-open-to-suggestions-on-haj-operation-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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