First batch of haj pilgrims set to go
First batch of haj pilgrims set to go
JAKARTA (JP): The first flight carrying Indonesians on the haj
pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia was scheduled to take off late on
Wednesday from Adisumarno Airport in Surakarta, Central Java.
Renowned Nahdlatul Ulama scholar Mustofa Bisri and Director
General for the Guidance of the Islamic Community and Haj Affairs
Mubarak will start the massive operation at 10:30 p.m., Antara
reported.
A total of 71,078 haj pilgrims will fly out in 180 groups from
six airports: Adisumarno in Surakarta, Central Java; Soekarno-
Hatta in Jakarta; Juanda in Surabaya, East Java; Hasanuddin in
Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi; Polonia in Medan, North Sumatra,
and Sepinggan in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.
The figures indicate a sharp drop from last year's 201,961
pilgrims in 456 groups. The pilgrimage is compulsory for
financially and physically able Muslims.
The departure schedule ends March 21.
On Thursday, Minister of Information M. Yunus Yosfiah will
officiate at the departure of the first group from Ujungpandang
at 9:15 p.m.
Minister of Religious Affairs Malik Fadjar and Yunus will see
off the first group from Jakarta at 9 p.m. on Saturday.
Return of the groups is set to start on April 2 through April
27. Most haj pilgrims will depart from Ujungpandang with 62
groups, followed by 43 groups from Jakarta and 32 groups from
Surabaya.
National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia announced recently it
would deploy a fleet of only six planes to transport 42,500
pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, down from the 26 aircraft operated for
last year's haj season.
For the first time, the remaining pilgrims will be transported
to Mecca by Saudi Airlines.
A sharp increase in airfares following the sharp drop in the
rupiah against the U.S. dollar has discouraged many Muslims from
making the pilgrimage this year.
Besides the advantage of less crowded facilities, haj
organizers are expected this year to learn from their notorious
past shortcomings of mischeduled flights, delays, lost luggage
and ailing or visaless pilgrims allowed to depart. Last year's
season was considered better than the others.
To improve health services, the Ministry of Health has
provided 449 paramedics, including 155 doctors, to assist
pilgrims at the six departure areas.
"We've also sent packages of medicines and medical equipment
to our consulate general in Jeddah, consisting of 91 types of
drugs and 26 kinds of medical devices," health minister Farid
Anfasa Moeloek said on Tuesday.
Farid also warned haj pilgrims about contagious diseases.
"Meningitis, for instance, is very easy to catch because of
physical contact. Even though all pilgrims have had their
vaccines, they must stay healthy," he said after a meeting with
legislators on a planned bill for the haj pilgrimage.
The ministry is also planning special health insurance for the
pilgrimage, Farid said, details of which are being worked out
with related ministries. (edt)