Ahead of Departure, Deputy Chair of Commission VIII Reveals Hajj 2026 Preparations Not Yet 100 Percent Complete
Jakarta - Deputy Chair of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Abdul Wachid, has revealed that preparations for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia are not yet fully complete, despite the departure of pilgrims being just around two weeks away.
He explained that Commission VIII has conducted direct monitoring of various aspects of services for Hajj pilgrims, from accommodation and catering to the readiness of facilities in Arafah, Mina, and Muzdalifah.
“So, here’s the thing, I just landed from Saudi Arabia this afternoon at 4:00 PM, after carrying out five days of activities there to monitor the preparations for the 2026 Hajj,” Wachid said when met at the DPR RI Building on Tuesday (7/4/2026).
“We started by checking the accommodation, then catering, and Arafah, Mina, Muzdalifah, as well as the Selawat buses. Well, these preparations, as we saw on the ground, are not yet at 100 percent maximum,” he continued.
“There are still areas that need improvement regarding the availability of tents in Arafah and Mina. That’s not finished yet, and I have requested the Syarikah that prepares this, including Kidana, the Saudi government there that prepares Armuzna, to expedite these preparations,” he said.
For context, the first batch of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims is scheduled to depart for the Holy Land on 22 April 2026.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs is preparing several mitigation steps to ensure the Hajj pilgrimage runs safely amid the geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East region.
“The safety of pilgrims remains our top priority. Considering the escalation in the Middle East, we are preparing several comprehensive mitigation scenarios to ensure pilgrims can worship safely and peacefully,” said Puji in a press statement on Wednesday (1/4/2026).
He added that the government has prepared special measures to anticipate various possibilities during the Hajj pilgrimage.
“The government is finalising the Tanazul scheme (early return/delay) and Murur (passing through Muzdalifah) to maintain the smooth flow of pilgrims,” said Puji.