Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Angered by Hajj Jemaah Tents in Arafah Being Partitioned by KBIH Officials: Illegal!

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah (Wamenhaj) Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak removed various identifications of the Hajj and Umrah Guidance Groups (KBIHU) and unofficial banners installed on the pilgrims’ tents in Arafah. He described the action as illegal.

The move followed a direct inspection of Indonesian pilgrims’ tents in Arafah with Hajj Minister Irfan Yusuf on Thursday, 21 May 2026. Wamenhaj Dahnil warned that licences of KBIHU that illegally partition the pilgrims’ tents could be revoked.

‘We immediately removed the KBIHU identifications and the unofficial banners. This is a reminder that tents should not be dominated by any one group,’ Dahnil said, as quoted on the Kemenhaj website on Friday, 22 May 2026.

He emphasised that all pilgrims have the right to equal services without discrimination between groups. ‘There must be no tents dominated for the benefit of a particular group,’ he asserted.

Dahnil also warned of stern sanctions for KBIHU found to be occupying tents for group interests. ‘If violations are found, there will certainly be firm action,’ he added.

Prohibition on Partitioning Pilgrims’ Tents in Arafah.

In a similar vein, Indonesian Minister of Hajj and Umrah Irfan Yusuf said that the actions by certain KBIH officials who partition the pilgrims’ tents in Arafah could create problems during the wuquf.

‘Therefore, many of the placards outside, we take them away and discard them. Some of our KBIH colleagues must be honest; those who pasted many to partition the space so others cannot occupy it,’ said Gus Irfan. ‘We do not want that; the governance comes from the Ministry of Hajj, not from KBIH.’

According to the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, all tent arrangements, cohort allocations, and pilgrim movements are entirely controlled by the PPIH. Therefore, KBIHU (Kelompok Bimbingan Ibadah Haji dan Umrah) are asked not to organise arrangements independently on the ground.

‘All arrangements are centralised by PPIH so that services are more orderly and measured,’ he said.

Furthermore, the Minister of Hajj and Umrah confirmed several important notes from the inspection in Arafah, especially regarding tent capacity which still requires adjustment.

Field checks found capacity discrepancies in several tents. For example, a tent that should accommodate 350 pilgrims had only 332 places available, potentially leading to a shortage of rest space if this occurs at multiple locations.