Deputy Speaker of DPR Sends Off 391 Hajj Pilgrims in First Batch
Tangerang (ANTARA) - Deputy Speaker of the DPR Sufmi Dasco Ahmad officially sent off the departure of 391 prospective Hajj pilgrims from Banten embarkation as Indonesia’s first batch (kloter) to Saudi Arabia.
“With the utterance of bismillahirrahmanirrahim, we send off the departure of all of you to perform the Hajj pilgrimage safely,” said Dasco in Tangerang on Wednesday.
Dasco explained that they would be flown to Madinah via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Soetta), Tangerang.
As part of the send-off procession, Deputy Speaker of the DPR Sufmi Dasco Ahmad handed over the Red and White flag to the Hajj Organising Officials (PPIH) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
According to him, the government has organised this year’s Hajj pilgrimage maximally, including enhancements such as additional Hajj embarkation points, the use of fast-track services, improved catering quality with cost efficiency, and the distribution of Nusuk cards in Indonesia to prevent family groups from being separated.
“The state is present to accompany the Hajj pilgrims, and we also convey our appreciation to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which we have monitored, that for the first time in organising the Hajj departure, the accompanying officials have been trained and prepared for a full month to then accompany our Hajj pilgrims during their time in the holy land,” he explained.
In this regard, Dasco emphasised that the state is present to ensure that all dispatched pilgrims can proceed smoothly and safely until the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage.
Full of Meaning
Meanwhile, Minister of Religious Affairs Mochamad Irfan Yusuf added that this momentum is not merely an administrative agenda, but an event full of meaning, laden with emotion, gratitude, and hope.
“This journey is not a physical journey, but a journey of the soul, a journey towards the most devout point in a Muslim’s life,” he said.
He stated that this departure is a moment long awaited by the pilgrims, as many among them have had to wait for years, even decades.