Indonesia seeks higher haj quota<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to seek a higher haj quota
\nfrom Saudi Arabia with the number of Indonesian Moslems applying
\nfor this year's holy pilgrimage soaring unexpectedly to nearly
\n240,000.<\/p>\n
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher told reporters
\nyesterday after meeting with President Soeharto at his Jl.
\nCendana residence that he plans to visit Saudi Arabia on Feb. 17
\nand Feb. 18 to convey the request.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has been allocated a quota of 192,000 people, which
\nis higher than the 165,000 people who made the pilgrimage last
\nyear. The government had earlier expected between 180,000 and
\n190,000 pilgrims this year.<\/p>\n
By the registration's closing date on Jan. 31, the government
\nhad received nearly 240,000 applications, the minister said.<\/p>\n
This was totally unanticipated, he said, explaining that the
\ngovernment had not expected the size of the pilgrim exodus to
\nreach that level until the last years of this decade.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi said up to 200,000 people have already paid the Rp
\n7.07 million ($3.330) each pilgrim has to spend for the trip to
\nthe Moslem holy lands in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
The other 40,000 still have until Feb. 15 to pay.<\/p>\n
He said those who have not paid in full will temporarily be
\nput on a "waiting list" pending the outcome of his mission to
\nRiyadh later this month.<\/p>\n
"President Soeharto asked me to seek for the maximum possible
\nquota allocation," the minister said, noting however that Brunei,
\nMalaysia, Iran, Kuwait and Oman have also exceeded their quotas.<\/p>\n
The haj season is not due to begin until May, but given the
\nsize of the Indonesian haj group, the operation to transport the
\npilgrims will begin towards the end of March.<\/p>\n
The President viewed the explosion in the number of applicants
\nfor the haj pilgrimage this year as reflecting both the rising
\nprosperity of the Indonesian Moslems and also their increasing
\nreligious consciousness.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Religious Affairs coordinates the arrangements
\nfor the pilgrimage, from transportation, accommodations and food,
\nin a mammoth logistics operation once likened to the U.S.-led
\ninternational military operation against Iraq during the 1991
\nGulf War.<\/p>\n
Soeharto asked Tarmizi to coordinate the preparations as well
\nas possible with the other agencies involved, including with the
\nhost government Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi said the government has to provide additional planes
\nand arrange for greater accommodations for the additional
\npilgrims.<\/p>\n
Indonesia exceeded its allocated haj quota for the first time
\nlast year, causing chaos amid competition between pilgrims who
\ntravel under the government arrangements and some 6,000
\nIndonesians who made their own arrangements through private
\ntravel agencies. (29)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-seeks-higher-haj-quota-1447893297",
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