Haj visas possible for green passport-holders: Ambassador<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Saudi Arabian Ambassador Abdullah Abdurrahman
\nAlim said on Wednesday that with the approval of the Indonesian
\ngovernment his embassy would grant visas to Indonesian haj
\npilgrims using ordinary green passports rather than the special
\nhaj passport.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after meeting with President B.J.
\nHabibie at Merdeka Palace, Abdullah said his office stopped
\nissuing visas for green passport-holders when the previous
\nminister of religious affairs, Tarmizi Taher, decreed that
\nIndonesians could go on the haj pilgrimage only with the special
\nhaj passport.<\/p>\n
\"If the Indonesian government, in this case the Ministry of
\nReligious Affairs, allows the haj pilgrimage on green passports,
\nthen we have no reason to prohibit it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Abdullah was responding to questions about the possibility of
\nthe embassy granting visas to people who were able to raise
\nenough money to go on the pilgrimage only after the official
\nregistration period ended in January.<\/p>\n
The crisis-hit Indonesia is sending around 70,000 pilgrims to
\nSaudi Arabia this year, a drastic drop from last year's 200,000.
\nThe first batch of pilgrims left for Saudi Arabia late February.<\/p>\n
In past years, many Indonesians bypassed the government and
\nwent on the pilgrimage on their own using their green passports.<\/p>\n
Abdullah conveyed to Habibie congratulations from King Fahd
\nbin Abdul Aziz for \"successfully leading the country\". (prb\/swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/haj-visas-possible-for-green-passport-holders-ambassador-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}