DPR Hajj Oversight Team Highlights Provision of Meals for Pilgrims
Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal, emphasised that the DPR RI Hajj Oversight Team (Timwas Haji) will directly supervise the quality of services for Hajj pilgrims in the Holy Land, from hotel room capacities and catering to anticipation of non-procedural pilgrims.
This was stated by Cucun after seeing off the departure of Hajj pilgrims from Cluster KJT-24 at Kertajati Airport in Majalengka on Sunday (10/5).
He said that from the initial monitoring and evaluation conducted by the DPR Hajj Oversight Team, there are several notes that need to be evaluated.
One of them concerns accommodation.
“For example, how can placement in hotel rooms that we agreed to be four people end up with more than four? Well, we will see about that later,” Cucun stressed.
According to him, placement of pilgrims exceeding capacity can only be tolerated if the room is indeed spacious and adequate. However, he reminded that pilgrims should not be forced to stay in cramped rooms with excessive occupants.
“If the room is spacious and adequate, then if the number is only one or two extra, it’s not a problem. But if it’s forced into a cramped room and then piled with more than four people, that’s not good,” he continued.
In addition to accommodation, the DPR RI Oversight Team also highlighted the catering services for pilgrims, which continue to receive complaints. Cucun mentioned that the reports received are more about the monotony of meal menus during their stay in the Holy Land.
“There are reports of menu monotony, perhaps, not yet about quality. Menu monotony, maybe the menu just needs to be a bit more varied,” he said.
That evaluation, he continued, will be discussed with all Hajj organising stakeholders, both Hajj Service Officials (PPIH) in Saudi Arabia and in Indonesia.
Not only pilgrim services, Cucun also highlighted the handling of non-procedural pilgrims, which he said is now much stricter through cross-ministerial and institutional coordination.
“Now, yesterday we met with the Minister of Immigration, there is no more way for people without Hajj visas to go to Saudi and depart. Everyone will definitely be selected and screened,” he stressed.