'Waiting-list' haj pilgrims asked to re-register<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Approximately 40,000 haj applicants who failed
\nto go on pilgrimage the last time around will be required to re-
\nregister between July 1 and August 31 in order to qualify for
\nnext year's haj season.<\/p>\n
Director General for Haj Affairs Amidhan said the prospective
\npilgrims, who were turned away early this year because the
\n195,000 quota allotted by the Saudi Arabian government could not
\nbe raised, could start re-registration at the banks through which
\nthey initially paid their haj fee.<\/p>\n
\"Those people, who were consequently placed on a waiting list,
\nwill have first priority in next year's operation of the haj
\npilgrimage,\" Amidhan told reporters on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Amidhan said the early re-registration is expected to help
\nsmoothen the haj operation next year, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
Amidhan also said the ministry is currently preparing the
\nspecial passports for 1996 haj pilgrims. The passports, \"designed
\nto look nicer\", are expected to be completed by the end of July
\nso that those who re-register early can also get their passport
\nat an earlier time.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year the government appeased prospective
\npilgrims, disappointed because they could not make the trip, by
\npromising that they would not have to pay more for the 1996
\npilgrimage. The cost of this year's haj pilgrimage was Rp
\n7,010,000 (approximately US$3,186).<\/p>\n
Some of the waiting-list pilgrims had made full payment and
\nhad not withdraw their money from the banks. The situation has
\nraised questions about whether they would get bank interest.<\/p>\n
Amidhan did not answer directly, but explained that the
\ngovernment has always calculated the haj costs based on the
\nappreciation of rupiah toward two foreign currencies, which are
\nthe American dollar and Arabian riyal.<\/p>\n
The government pays for the air transportation of the pilgrims
\nin dollars and for the accommodation, in Saudi Arabia, in riyal,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"The government will never burden the pilgrims,\" Amidhan said.<\/p>\n
According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs' record, there
\nwere 44,927 prospective pilgrims who failed to go when haj season
\nbegan in April. Following tough negotiations with the Saudi
\nArabian authorities, the government was able to send 7,007 of
\nthem to the Holy Land of Mecca on several of the last flights.<\/p>\n
Only 1,630 people withdrew their money from the banks, while
\nthe remaining 36,290 people kept their payments there.<\/p>\n
Amidhan disclosed that the prospective pilgrims, who withdrew
\ntheir money, may have to pay a different sum of money, in
\naccordance with the presidential decree on haj payment, which is
\nexpected to be issued in early September.<\/p>\n
The registration period for this group is between the day that
\nthe decree is issued to Sept. 29, 1995, he said.<\/p>\n
Amidhan also said that the ministry has agreed to cooperate
\nwith Garuda Indonesia airline and the banks appointed to manage
\nthe haj payment, in establishing a computerized network to ensure
\nthat 1996 haj registration would proceed in an orderly manner.
\n(swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/waiting-list-haj-pilgrims-asked-to-re-register-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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