DPR Oversight Team Reveals Many Hajj Pilgrims with Dementia Slipping Through Health Screenings
Muhammad Husni, a member of the Hajj Oversight Team (Timwas) of the House of Representatives (DPR), has raised concerns about many Indonesian Hajj pilgrims with dementia slipping through health screenings. He highlighted the issue following the death of an elderly Indonesian pilgrim who went missing for a week in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Husni initially expressed relief that the missing pilgrim had been found. However, he stated that the incident should serve as a reminder for the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. “We have found that a considerable number of dementia patients have slipped through the health screenings,” he said in a video statement on Sunday, 24 May 2026.
The Gerindra Party politician called for stricter Hajj health screenings in the future, stressing that pilgrims must be physically fit before travelling to Saudi Arabia. “This is a matter of our Hajj process, which requires not only financial capability but also good health,” he added.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah confirmed that 72-year-old Indonesian pilgrim Muhammad Firdaus, who went missing and was later found deceased, would be buried in Saudi Arabia.
Firdaus, a member of group JKG 27, was reported missing from his Mecca hotel on 15 May 2026. Saudi authorities discovered his body on 22 May 2026 local time.
Colonel (Retired) Muftiono, Head of the Pilgrims Protection Unit for the 2026 Saudi Hajj mission, said Firdaus was found in Jabal Kuday on Friday around 2:00 AM local time. “The deceased was discovered in Jabal Kuday, approximately 1.5 to 2 kilometres from the accommodation. He was found by Saudi military personnel on patrol,” Muftiono stated in a video statement on 23 May 2026.
Previously, Firdaus was reported missing after failing to return to his lodging since Friday, 15 May 2026. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah spokesperson Ichsan Marsha said the missing report was received via the Kawal Haji channel on 16 May 2026.
According to reports, Firdaus left the hotel without identification, wearing only a white shirt and sarong. CCTV footage showed him leaving alone at 9:04 AM local time, wearing only a Hajj bracelet as identification.
Ichsan noted that the hotel lobby was relatively quiet at the time as most pilgrims were preparing for Friday prayers.
Since the report was received, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah formed multiple search teams. They scoured various locations, including hotels, the Masjidil Haram area, and surrounding streets. Pilgrims protection teams from Medina were also deployed to expand the search. “Searches were also conducted at hospitals in Mecca and its surroundings,” Ichsan said.