RI to launch massive haj operation today<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Four wide-bodied jets will depart almost
\nsimultaneously from Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, and Ujungpandang
\nthis morning, while another will take off from Balikpapan on
\nWednesday evening, as Indonesia begins the massive task of
\ntransporting 195,000 citizens to Saudi Arabia for the haj
\npilgrimage.<\/p>\n
This year's contingent will be the largest sent on the haj to
\ndate, being 23 percent larger than last year's 164,200, which was
\nalso a record.<\/p>\n
The national carrier Garuda Indonesia, appointed to take the
\npilgrims, has leased 20 wide-bodied jets for the purpose,
\nincluding 10 Boeing-747s, six MD-11s, and four DC-10s, and has
\nalso assigned four Boeing-747s from its own fleet.<\/p>\n
The haj pilgrims, booked on 502 different flights, will depart
\nfrom five ports of embarkation between today and May 2.<\/p>\n
Halim Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta will accommodate the
\ndeparture of 110,500 people on 259 flights, the Polonia airport
\nin Medan 17,500 people on 41 flights, the Juanda airport in
\nSurabaya 41,500 people on 116 flights, the Hasanuddin airport in
\nUjungpandang 18,000 people on 73 flights, and the Sepinggan
\nairport in Balikpapan 4,500 people on 13 flights.<\/p>\n
The official farewell ceremony will be held this morning at
\nHalim Perdanakusuma airport. Minister of Religious Affairs
\nTarmizi Taher, who is the Amirul Haj (chief of the contingent)
\nthis year, will be present at the ceremony, which will coincide
\nwith the departure of the first group.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Religious Affairs, which is coordinating the
\nentire operation, said that a total of 231,000 people have
\nregistered and paid for the pilgrimage. However, the ministry
\nsaid that so far it has only secured accommodation for 195,000
\npeople, including 3,000 officials, airline crew, and escorts.
\nOne-hundred-and-ninety-five thousand is the quota set by the
\nSaudi Arabian government for Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi said that the Indonesian government was still
\nattempting to persuade the Saudi authorities to allow all of the
\n231,000 people registered make the haj pilgrimage this year.<\/p>\n
\"I will hold another meeting with the Saudi Arabian Minister
\nof Religious Charity and Haj Affairs, Dr. Mahmud Muhammad Safar,
\nto discuss an additional quota,\" he said, as quoted by Antara
\nlast week.<\/p>\n
He had earlier warned intending pilgrims against trying to
\ncircumvent the government operation by making their own private
\narrangements, saying they would be denied entry to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
He was referring to people who planned to travel on ordinary
\ngreen passports instead of the brown passports issued especially
\nfor the government haj trip.<\/p>\n
Regarding the 36,000 people still on the waiting list, Tarmizi
\nsaid the government had offered to return their money in full or
\nto put them on the list for next year's pilgrimage and exempt
\nthem from any fee increases.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI), Hasan
\nBasri, has urged the 36,000 people to remain patient and
\nunemotional.<\/p>\n
\"Any irregular efforts to obtain haj permits will only have a
\nnegative impact on the holiness of the religious service,\" he
\nsaid over the weekend.<\/p>\n
He said there would be advantages in making the pilgrimage
\nnext year.<\/p>\n
\"The climate will be cooler and some of the buildings,
\ndesigned to accommodate the pilgrims in comfort, which are
\ncurrently under renovation, will be completed and ready for use
\nnext year,\" he said, adding that the improved buildings would
\nprotect the pilgrims from the heat.<\/p>\n
Last year 638 of the 164,200 Indonesian haj pilgrims died in
\nSaudi Arabia, mostly as a result of the heat. Seven pilgrims died
\nduring a stampede in the town of Mina.<\/p>\n
Hasan said that, by next year, there would also be a special
\nroad from Arafah to Mina for Southeast Asian haj pilgrims.<\/p>\n
Merpati Nusantara Airlines has announced that it will increase
\nits flights to help carry the haj pilgrims to their ports of
\nembarkation.<\/p>\n
\"We will increase the flight frequency from the cities of
\norigin to the five ports of embarkation to 629 times (the normal
\nfrequency) between April 4 to 29,\" Merpati's marketing manager,
\nIbrahim Hamid, said on Friday.(imn)<\/p>",
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