BPKH: Ideal initial hajj deposit should rise to Rp35 million

The Executive Body of the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) has stated that the initial hajj registration deposit should ideally be increased to Rp35 million from the previous Rp25 million in order to enhance the value of benefits obtained from hajj funds in the future. “In our Strategic Plan (Renstra), the initial deposit should rise to Rp35 million,” said Head of the Executive Body Fadlul Imansyah in Bandung on Friday. He explained that increasing the initial deposit would enlarge the managed funds, thereby boosting the value of benefits generated. Conversely, if the policy is not implemented, the nominal rupiah value of benefits obtained may not be as optimal as expected. “But if it does not happen, the assumption is we will get the benefit value in rupiah terms, so it will not be as optimal as hoped,” Fadlul said. According to him, from an investment perspective, rising yields in the financial market also open opportunities for BPKH to achieve better management returns, particularly through Sovereign Sharia Securities (SBSN) instruments. Fadlul noted that when SBSN prices fall, causing yields to rise, this condition actually presents an opportunity for BPKH to purchase investment instruments with higher rates of return. “If there is a price decline in SBSN, we will strongly support it and seek that opportunity. In doing so, we also help the government ensure that sharia securities yields are not too high,” he said. Regarding the potential increase of the initial hajj deposit to Rp35 million, Fadlul stressed that the policy does not need to be specifically regulated in the revision of the Hajj Financial Management Law. According to him, the determination of the initial deposit amount is the result of an agreement between the government and Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives. “This increase does not necessarily have to be enshrined in law; it is merely an agreement, and the one who will set it later is the ministry handling hajj affairs, not BPKH,” Fadlul said.