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)