Government sets haj pilgrimage cost at Rp 17.76m

JAKARTA (JP): In response to the strengthening of the rupiah to the U.S. dollar in recent months, the government will slash the cost of the haj pilgrimage to Mecca next year to Rp 17.76 million.

The cost, calculated according to an exchange rate of Rp 6,500 per dollar, is equivalent to US$2,732. The cost of last year's pilgrimage was Rp 21.85 million, or $2,731 based on the exchange rate of 8,000.

However, the rupiah has tumbled in currency trading since Tuesday.

The government also scheduled a two-month registration period which opens on Aug. 16, Antara reported Wednesday.

Media Indonesia daily quoted Director General for Islam and Haj Affairs Mubarok as saying the registration would be open at designated state banks -- Bank Negara Indonesia, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, Bapindo and Bank Mandiri.

Mubarok hoped more people would take advantage of the lower cost. He said he expected about 150,000 people would go on the pilgrimage, or three times more than the number of pilgrims in the 1999 haj season in March.

Mubarok promised the fee would not be increased even if the rupiah continued to plunge in value. On Tuesday, the rate was Rp 7,200 to the dollar, but it was hovering around Rp 8,000 on Thursday.

The haj cost covers a Rp 7.8 million round-trip air ticket (Jakarta-Jeddah-Jakarta), living costs in Saudi Arabia amounting to Rp 9,455,200, plus Rp 502,800 for administrative fees.

Minister of Religious Affairs Malik Fadjar warned officials not to impose illegal levies.

"Every cent must be properly accounted for," Malik said.

He said he was optimistic the number of pilgrims would exceed 150,000 because 82,000 people have already joined a savings program for the pilgrimage.

The country almost always filled its quota of about 200,000 pilgrims until the economic crisis struck in 1997 and drastically reduced participation. (edt)