Former Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Criticises Hajj 'Ticket War' Proposal

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is examining a new system to address the prolonged waiting times for Hajj pilgrimage. One emerging idea is the implementation of a more flexible model resembling direct ticket purchasing or a ‘ticket war’ based on the quota allocated by Saudi Arabia.

“We are given a quota of 200,000 by Saudi Arabia. Then we set the price. There would be no need to queue. Everyone can book directly, and whoever gets it goes,” said the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak.

Dahnil also noted that the proposal is currently in the discussion stage and not yet a final decision.

The idea has elicited responses from various parties, including former Religious Affairs Minister from 2014-2019, Lukman Hakim Saifudin. Lukman questioned the state’s function in guaranteeing justice for its citizens.

“When the Hajj quota is contested freely like a ticket war, what is the difference between the state and an event organiser?” he said on Saturday, 11 April 2026.

Lukman stressed that the state, through the government, has an obligation to protect its citizens from unfair practices. Amid diverse social backgrounds, education levels, and geographical conditions of prospective Hajj pilgrims, he believes that guarantees of justice in protection, service, and guidance must be the top priority.

He also highlighted the current length of the Hajj queue. According to him, implementing a ticket war system could overlook millions of prospective pilgrims who have been waiting for a long time.

“Currently, no fewer than 5.6 million prospective Hajj pilgrims are queuing with varying waiting periods averaging 26 years. Implementing a ‘ticket war’ to compete for the available Hajj quota would ignore the prospective pilgrims who have been waiting for a very long time. That is truly unfair and highly potential to cause social unrest,” he said.

Furthermore, Lukman reminded that implementing a ticket war also requires readiness of infrastructure and resources. From widespread internet networks to remote areas, digital literacy of the community, to the reliability of the technology system used.

“Have those requirements been met? The government’s task is to carry out the mandate of the law. Just do that task well. Studies on ideas for improving Hajj management should be matured internally within the government ranks,” he said.