13,888 Jakartans to join pilgrimage

JAKARTA: A total of 13,888 Jakartans will join the haj pilgrimage this year, with 28 batches of pilgrims being planned. The first batch, comprising 450 haj pilgrims from South Jakarta, was seen off by Governor Sutiyoso on Monday at 8 a.m. from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

The pilgrims took off on a Garuda Indonesia Airlines Boeing 747 and were bound for King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Sutiyoso called on the pilgrims to take care of their physical condition and wear masks to avoid being infected by diseases, especially from African and South American haj pilgrims. -- JP