'Centers for pilgrims must obey rules'

'Centers for pilgrims must obey rules'

JAKARTA: An official with the religious affairs ministry has
warned course centers for haj pilgrims to follow existing rules
otherwise their permits will be revoked.

Taufiq Kamil, head of Islamic education and pilgrimage at the
ministry, revealed on Sunday there were about 1,000 course
centers for haj pilgrims and that some of them had violated
regulations.

Commenting on some course centers that force haj pilgrims to
pay more money than stipulated, Taufiq said principally the
course centers were not allowed to force the pilgrims to pay
extra.

He disclosed that there was an agreement between the pilgrims
and the course centers. If the deal was made without coercion, it
was acceptable.

He acknowledged the annual ritual attracted businessmen
because the income received from a group haj pilgrimage was
around Rp 5 trillion. - Antara