Deputy Minister Dahnil Claims Decline in Illegal Hajj Cases This Year

Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for Hajj and Umrah, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, has revealed that illegal Hajj departure practices during this year’s Hajj season have experienced a significant decline. In fact, so far, no prospective pilgrims attempting to depart via non-procedural routes have been found at Makassar’s Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport. “Alhamdulillah, this year illegal Hajj has decreased substantially. Even at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, no practices of prospective pilgrims planning illegal Hajj departures have been detected. Illegal Hajj means Hajj without a Hajj visa,” Dahnil said in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Wednesday (13/5). Unlike in Jakarta, Dahnil noted, authorities have identified around 80 prospective Hajj pilgrims suspected of intending to depart without legal Hajj visas. All of them, Dahnil added, were prevented in advance. “In Jakarta, 80 prospective Hajj pilgrims wanting to depart without legal Hajj visas have already been found. Meanwhile, in Makassar, we have managed to reduce cases to zero,” he stated. To prevent similar practices in the future, Dahnil explained that the Indonesian government has now formed a joint task force (Satgas) involving the police, immigration authorities, the Ministry of Immigration, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. “Going forward, there must be more intensive cooperation, particularly in exchanging immigration information between the Republic of Indonesia and Saudi Arabia,” he clarified. Nevertheless, Dahnil believes that monitoring efforts will be more effective if they involve Saudi Arabian immigration authorities through intensive data exchange cooperation. “Currently, our task force does not yet involve Saudi immigration. Next year, we want to ensure the involvement of Saudi authorities to prevent such cases,” he said. According to Dahnil, there are several cases of prospective pilgrims attempting to depart again despite being blocked by Saudi authorities, which risks creating legal issues and disrupting the official Hajj worship arrangements. “There are some such cases. There’s one from NTB like that. Because he is indeed banned by Saudi Arabia,” he remarked. Dahnil reminded the public not to be tempted by offers to depart for Hajj via illegal routes, especially for those who have previously received entry bans or been blacklisted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s government.