Discussions on Hajj Ticket Auction: Government Urged to Prioritise Pilgrims in the Queue

JAKARTA - A member of the House of Representatives Commission VIII, Maman Imanul Haq, has urged the government to comprehensively review the discussions on the Hajj ticket auction scheme.

He emphasised that the scheme must not sacrifice prospective Hajj pilgrims who have been queuing for years.

“We urge the government to reconsider the Hajj ticket auction discussions. It is unfortunate for prospective pilgrims who have queued for over a decade and are scheduled to depart in two or three years, only to be displaced by this system. Policies must favour justice for the pilgrims, not just a race of speed,” Maman stated in his remarks on Tuesday (14/4/2026).

Maman explained that many Indonesians in remote areas still face limitations in internet access and technology.

“What about people in the outskirts where internet is limited? Should they lose their right to depart just because they lose in the speed of clicking? This must be a serious concern,” Maman said.

“Do not let the Hajj pilgrimage, which is the right of all Muslims, turn into a competition that only benefits certain groups,” he added emphatically.

Instead of the Hajj ticket auction scheme, he encouraged the government to bolster diplomacy with Saudi Arabia to increase Indonesia’s Hajj quota.

“This ticket auction system risks creating new injustices. The government should focus on long-term solutions and transparency in queue data to avoid unrest in society. The state must act as a protector of pilgrims’ rights, not create new obstacles to worship,” Maman said.

He also provided more details on the Hajj ticket auction scheme, noting that it is actually more expensive than the queuing route.

This is because prospective Hajj pilgrims using the ticket auction scheme would be required to pay the full amount upfront.

“For example, if set at Rp 200 million per person, that becomes the full cost paid by the pilgrims choosing this scheme (ticket auction),” said Dahnil, quoted from Kompas.com on Friday (10/4/2026).

“All paid in full by the pilgrims, without the benefits like in the regular scheme,” Dahnil added.

In addition, he emphasised that the allocation from the ticket auction scheme would not take from the regular Hajj quota.

“(Ticket auction) That is not a policy this year, so do not misunderstand. That is not a policy this year; it is our discussion,” Dahnil stressed.