House commission wants better haj arrangements<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Commission IX of the House of Representatives
\nhas called for better coordination between the national
\ngovernment and provincial and regency governments in organizing
\nfuture haj pilgrimage operations.<\/p>\n
As this year's haj operation reached its halfway mark, members
\nof the commission inspected the Pondok Gede Haj Dormitory in East
\nJakarta yesterday, where pilgrims spend one night before boarding
\ntheir flights for Mecca in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
After the visit, Commission IX Chairman Ismael Hasan praised
\nthe government for doing its utmost to facilitate the departure
\nof the 195,000 pilgrims, the largest number ever sent by
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The massive haj operation, which was launched at the beginning
\nof this month, was beset in its first week by delays as many
\npilgrims who were booked on the first flights did not yet have
\ntheir visas. The delays caused a huge pile up anxious pilgrims at
\nPondok Gede.<\/p>\n
The government has now managed to ease the congestion and
\npilgrims are getting their visas on time.<\/p>\n
Tuesday was the halfway mark of the haj operation, with 97,291
\nIndonesian pilgrims having already arrived in Jeddah aboard 226
\nflights. The government has scheduled 452 flights to transport
\nall 195,000 Indonesian pilgrims.<\/p>\n
Another 35,000 Indonesians who registered for this year's haj
\npilgrimage have been put on the waiting list as Indonesia has
\nbeen allocated a quota of 195,000 pilgrims this year.<\/p>\n
The haj operation is coordinated by the Ministry of Religious
\nAffairs. Most people blamed the ministry for the chaos in the
\nfirst week of the operation, but criticism of Minister Tarmizi
\nTaher has ebbed since he publicly accepted all the blame last
\nweek.<\/p>\n
Ismael Hasan yesterday stressed the importance of the full
\nsupport of regional administrations to the success of the haj
\noperation.<\/p>\n
He called for greater efforts to eliminate loopholes in the
\nhaj arrangements that have, he said, allowed people to exploit
\nthe pilgrimage program for profit.<\/p>\n
He said that the objective of the government's haj operation
\nwas to cater for the needs of the pilgrims and that it should not
\ncause them suffering.<\/p>\n
"For next year's pilgrimage, Commission IX urges the
\ngovernment to give priority to those who are on this year's
\nwaiting list," Hasan said.<\/p>\n
"The government should also close the registration the moment
\nit reaches the quota," he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Indonesian consulate in Jeddah reported that
\nfour more Indonesian pilgrims died yesterday, bringing the total
\nso far to 17. Three of yesterday's deaths were caused by heart
\nfailure and the fourth by lung disease, the consulate reported.<\/p>\n
Last year, 638 out of the 165,000 Indonesian pilgrims died in
\nSaudi Arabia. (29)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-commission-wants-better-haj-arrangements-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}