Ahead of 2026 Hajj Departure, Deputy Commission VIII DPR Provides Notes

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of DPR Commission VIII Abdul Wachid provided several notes regarding preparations for the 2026 Hajj or 1447 Hijriah. These notes were given after he returned from Saudi Arabia and arrived back in Indonesia on Monday afternoon (6 April 2026). The first batch of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims is scheduled to depart on 22 April 2026. So, what are Abdul’s notes ahead of the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage? Here is a summary: “There are still areas that need improvement regarding the availability of tents in Arafah and Mina. That has not been completed yet,” Wachid said at the Parliamentary Complex in Jakarta on Tuesday (7 April 2026). For this reason, he has already asked the syarikah or service providers to accommodate the remaining needs in Saudi Arabia. “I have asked the Syarikah that is preparing this, including Kidana, the Saudi government there that is preparing Armuzna, regarding these preparations to act immediately,” Wachid said. There, he acknowledged that preparations for the 2026 Hajj or 1447 Hijriah pilgrimage are not yet 100 percent. “We are proceeding from checking the accommodations, then catering, and Arafah, Mina, Muzdalifah, as well as the shuttle buses. Indeed, these preparations, as we saw on the ground, are not yet maximally 100 percent,” Wachid said. Local authorities are also optimistic that this year’s Hajj can proceed smoothly, despite the heating up of the situation in the Middle East region. “The security situation there. Alhamdulillah, from these preparations, the Saudi government is optimistic that the 2026 Hajj will still proceed well, with a secure situation,” Wachid said. “We are asked to hope and pray, efforts for peace to be realised soon in the Middle East between Iran and Israel, and America. This is always conveyed to us, and the Indonesian Ambassador, the Indonesian Ambassador in Saudi Arabia also conveys the same, as does the Saudi Ambassador in Indonesia,” Wachid said. Director General of Hajj and Umrah Organisational Development Puji Raharjo stated that the government is not only focusing on technical readiness but also on the safety aspect of the pilgrims. “The safety of the pilgrims remains our top priority. Considering the escalation in the Middle East, we are preparing several comprehensive mitigation scenarios to ensure that pilgrims can worship safely and peacefully,” Puji said on Wednesday (1 April 2026).