Indonesia to launch massive haj operation today<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Four wide-bodied jets will leave almost
\nsimultaneously from Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya and Ujungpandang
\nthis morning, marking the start of the massive operation to send
\nmore than 157,000 people for the haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
They will all be flown eventually in 360 different flights
\nbetween today and May 14.<\/p>\n
This is the largest haj contingent Indonesia has ever
\ndispatched to date, marking a significant jump from the 123,000
\nsent last year which was also a record.<\/p>\n
Garuda Indonesia, the national carrier appointed to fly the
\npilgrims, has leased 16 wide-bodied jets for the purpose and has
\nalso assigned two from its own fleet.<\/p>\n
The sending off ceremony will be held this morning at the
\nHalim Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta and besides Minister of
\nReligious Affairs Tarmizi Taher, Minister of Information Harmoko,
\nwho is the Amirul Haj (chief of the contingent), will also be on
\nhand to bid farewell to the first group.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Religious Affairs, which is coordinating the
\nentire operation, said that a total of 157,491 people have
\nregistered and paid for the pilgrimage. In addition, 772
\nofficials, airline crew and escorts will also take part, bringing
\nthe total to 158,263 people.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government has secured the accommodation in
\nSaudi Arabia for a total of 160,000 pilgrims.<\/p>\n
The organization of sending the haj pilgrims has become more
\ncomplex each year, especially given that their number keep on
\nrising. The situation has caused an Islamic scholar to liken the
\nHaj to the U.S.'s Desert Storm military operation when it sent
\nmore than 200,000 troops from various nations to the deserts of
\nSaudi Arabia to fight the Iraqi forces which were occupying
\nKuwait in 1990.<\/p>\n
Director General of Air Transportation Sikado, during an
\nunannounced inspection at the Halim Perdanakusuma airport,
\nexpressed his confidence that there would be no major problems
\nduring the departure. However, he did anticipate that some
\nproblems could occur on the return trip, which is slated to begin
\non May 24 through June 22.<\/p>\n
The Idul Adha day, or the Sacrifice Day which is the peak of
\nthe haj pilgrimage, is slated to fall on May 21 according to
\nIndonesian calendar. However, the final decision must await the
\nsighting of the moon.<\/p>\n
Sikado said there could be problems specially in the beginning
\nof the return operation since people from various nations will
\nall flock into the King Abdul Aziz airport and there could be
\nmassive congestion as there was in previous years.<\/p>\n
The Saudi government however has agreed to allocate one gate
\nat the airport for the Indonesian contingent given the huge size
\nof the delegation, he said.<\/p>\n
He also warned the pilgrims that the Garuda officials are
\nunder strict orders to enforce the maximum luggage allowance and
\nwill not tolerate anything in excess of the 30 kilogram allowed
\nfor each pilgrim.<\/p>\n
If pilgrims insist on carrying more, they would have to be
\nsent by ship and they will have to pay the costs, he said. He
\nrecalled that the excess luggage issue was one of the factors
\nthat caused delays in the past.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher warned
\nyesterday that the government would clamp down hard on travel
\nagents who have organized their own haj pilgrimage tours and said
\nthat people who joined in these tours are liable for deportation
\nwhen they reach Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi estimated that some 14,000 people have made their
\npilgrimage arrangement through unlicensed agents, some 10,000
\nflying through Singapore and the rest from Jakarta, flying on
\nscheduled airlines.<\/p>\n
These are the so-called \"green passport\" pilgrims since they
\nare traveling on ordinary passports and not the passports issued
\nspecifically for haj pilgrims.<\/p>\n
They are different from the VIP version of the pilgrimage
\nwhich is organized by licensed tour operators and also using
\nscheduled airlines.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi believed that a major syndicate is behind the \"green
\npassport\" pilgrimage tours, and estimated that it was grossing
\nsome Rp 1 billion from its operation.<\/p>\n
The Saudi authorities have asked the Indonesian government to
\nbring these pilgrims under control, he said. (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-to-launch-massive-haj-operation-today-1447893297",
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