Forty-Three Hajj Batches from Makassar Embarkation Successfully Departed, 20 Seats Empty and Five Pilgrims Died
The Panitia Penyelenggara Ibadah Haji (PPIH) Embarkasi Makassar has completed the departure of 40 of the 43 Hajj groups received. The last group is scheduled to depart tomorrow, 21 May 2026, at 08:00 WITA.
Overall the process ran smoothly, but 20 aircraft seats remained unfilled due to pilgrims not istithaah and illness, and five pilgrims had died since the operation began. The Head of the PPIH Makassar Embarkation, H. Ikbal Ismail, said in an evaluation release on Wednesday (20 May) that the integrated service system (one-stop service) on average takes only two hours per pilgrim.
“The reception, bracelet distribution, nusuk card issuance, and passport handover processes ran effectively. In fact, the waiting time from the hajj dormitory to take-off has been cut from seven hours to five hours since group UPG 6,” he said.
However, several important notes emerged. Health checks, especially for women of reproductive age (WUS), still take a long time and must be tightened in light of national attention and Saudi regulations.
Awareness campaigns for health kits such as hand sanitiser packaged similarly to cough medicine also need to be improved.
From the total quota, 20 aircraft seats were unfilled. They consisted of 5 deemed not istithaah, 13 sick and postponed at the hajj dormitory, and 2 sick in the region.
Meanwhile, three pilgrims remain under treatment: Nurhayati Laraufe (formerly Group 21) planned to join the final group, while Mare Petta Baba (formerly Group 23) and M. Basir Djalang (formerly Group 35) remain in hospital.
PPIH highlighted the need for strict evaluation of regional health checks, particularly for dementia cases deemed not to meet istithaah from the outset.
To date, five Makassar Embarkation Hajj pilgrims have died. One died at the embarkation hospital (RS Wahidin, Makassar), while the other four died in Saudi Arabia, namely in Madinah, Makkah, and at a local hospital. They are listed as: Syamsuddin Puang Launang (Group 19, Mamuju), died at RS Wahidin, Makassar; Nursidah Sinrang Sijarra (Group 5, Gowa), died at RS Al Haram, Madinah; Siti Totou Umar (Group 15, Ternate), died at a Madinah hotel; Camming Saide Sakka (Group 3, Bone), died at RS Mouwasat, Madinah; and Pinta Latif Abd. Latif (Group 8, Pinrang), died at Masjid al-Haram, Makkah.
Elderly Services and Security Highlighted as Positive Aspects
Despite the challenges, priority services for the elderly and wheelchair users performed well. One-stop service administration was prioritised for them, and boarding procedures were arranged so that the elderly did not spend long on buses. Ceremonial departures were limited to a maximum of 10 minutes for efficiency.
The Mecca Route process at the airport ran smoothly in about 1 hour 20 minutes, and aircraft generally departed on time, or even earlier than scheduled. The security sector was regarded as professional in safeguarding the hajj dormitory.
PPIH appreciated the cooperation of all related agencies and urged the accommodation division to continue monitoring water availability, air conditioning conditions, and the cleanliness of the environment in Saudi Arabia. “Overall, all processes ran well and smoothly thanks to extraordinary synergy,” concluded Ikbal Ismail. (H-2)
The Panitia Penyelenggara Ibadah Haji (PPIH) Embarkasi Makassar seized dozens of prohibited items from the cabin bags of prospective Hajj pilgrims during X-ray screening at the Sudiang Hajj Dormitory.
The 2026 Makassar Embarkation Hajj groups received a visit from members of the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission VIII, who stated that the services at the embarkation were good.
The planned departure of two 2026 Hajj pilgrims from Soppeng Regency, Group 21 Embarkasi Makassar, had to be postponed due to health conditions. Nurhayati Laraufe, 55, is undergoing an amputation.
A representative of the Saudi government expressed appreciation for the services provided by the PPIH at Makassar Embarkation.
This evening at 20:20 WITA, Asis is scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia. He is part of Group 7 with 387 prospective pilgrims from Gowa.