DPR Opposes Subsidising Hajj Cost Increase from State Budget, Citing Sharia Principles

The Chairman of the Budget Agency (Banggar) of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), Said Abdullah, has spoken out regarding the proposed increase in the cost of organising the Hajj pilgrimage for 2027. Said assessed that the Hajj is an obligation for Muslims who are considered capable both financially and physically. If costs rise, he believes that a subsidy from the State Budget (APBN) could create problems from a sharia perspective.

“That is the difficulty. People go on Hajj if they are capable, both outwardly and inwardly. If capable people then ask the government to step in, that will become a problem from a sharia standpoint,” Said stated at the Parliament Complex in Central Jakarta on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.

Said suggested that the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) should be more creative in managing the funds of prospective pilgrims, rather than requiring a subsidy from the state budget. According to Said, the BPKH can conduct business activities to generate profits that can be used to subsidise the costs. “Therefore, it is better not to involve the government. The BPKH, which has been collecting the pilgrims’ funds, should increase and enlarge its business returns so it has the capability. The surplus from business profits can be used to cover the shortfall or the increase in Hajj travel costs,” he added.

The Chairman of the PDI-P Central Executive Board assessed that the state budget should be prioritised to help the lives of the poor. “There are still many poor people. Why should we be told to help those who are capable? Please, don’t. I have never recommended such a thing, because of the sharia problem,” Said remarked.

Previously, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah proposed that the Hajj Travel Cost (BPIH) for 1448 Hijriah/2027 AD be set at Rp107.34 million per person, an increase compared to the previous year’s cost of Rp87.4 million. “The proposed BPIH for the year 1448 Hijriah/2027 AD is approximately Rp107,340,000 per pilgrim, an increase of around Rp19,930,000 compared to the previous year’s BPIH,” said Minister of Hajj Mochamad Irfan Yusuf during a working meeting with Commission VIII of the DPR in Senayan, Jakarta, as quoted on Wednesday, 8 July 2026. According to him, the cost adjustment was influenced by several factors, including the assumed rupiah exchange rate, increases in flight costs, accommodation in Mecca and Medina, land transportation, and Masyair services.