All Indonesian pilgrims assured of entry: Tarmizi

All Indonesian pilgrims assured of entry: Tarmizi

JAKARTA (JP): All Indonesians who are planning to go on the
haj pilgrimage to Mecca will be accommodated by the Saudi
government although their number exceeded the quota allocated for
Indonesia.

Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher managed to squeeze
in 200 more pilgrims at the last minute to bring the total of
Indonesian pilgrims to 164,200, or 4,200 over their quota.

But the minister had to make another trip to Jeddah, his
second of the past month, to clear up last-minute hitches.

"The government of Saudi Arabia has given permission to
everyone to join the haj pilgrimage," Tarmizi told the press on
Thursday shortly after his return from Saudi Arabia.

The last planes carrying pilgrims will depart today. Minister
of Information Harmoko, who has been designated as the Amirul
Haj, or the chief of the Indonesian delegation, will be on board
one of them.

There had been fears earlier that some Indonesian pilgrims
would be denied entry to Saudi Arabia because the total number of
pilgrims, which reached a record high this year, exceeded the
quota. Last year's number of 124,000 also set a new standard.

These concerns nearly turned into a conflict when Tarmizi
suggested that pilgrims who were not traveling on the government-
organized program might be detained and deported by the Saudi
authorities.

This brought a denial from the Saudi embassy in Jakarta which
in turn prompted legislators to criticize Tarmizi for his stand
and to question the government's attempt to monopolize the
organization of the haj pilgrimage at this end.

Tarmizi on Thursday insisted that something had to be done
about the growing number of people who are making their own
travel arrangements because many of them are often left stranded
when they reach Mecca and are forced to use facilities, such as
transportation and accommodation, originally intended for the
official pilgrims.

In the past they could be tolerated because their number was
small, but their larger number could pose problems.

Tarmizi had disclosed that the government plans to tighten
regulations on the haj pilgrimage next year. (yns)