Government to Align 2027 Hajj Preparations with Saudi Arabia's Timeline
The Indonesian Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, stated that the government will adjust the preparations for the 1448 Hijri/2027 AD Hajj season to align with the timeline submitted by the Saudi Arabian government. “We have received the Hajj timeline from the Saudi Arabian Government, having received the documents on the 13th of Dzulhijjah,” Minister Irfan said while leading the return of the Amirul Hajj team at Soekargata Airport, Jakarta, on Monday.
He explained that the documents from the Saudi Arabian government establish a healthcare worker ratio of 1.5 doctors and 1.7 nurses for every 1,000 Hajj pilgrims. With Indonesia’s pilgrim quota exceeding 200,000 people, the requirement for healthcare personnel is estimated to reach approximately 300 doctors and nearly 400 nurses.
Furthermore, the Saudi Arabian government has stipulated that the process for contracting Hajj services must be conducted through the Nusuk platform, with payments made via e-wallet systems. According to Minister Irfan, the Saudi authorities are continuously optimising the use of the e-Nusuk application to simplify the entire service process for pilgrims. “The Saudi Arabian Government is increasingly maximising the use of the e-Nusuk application, which will make things much easier for all pilgrims,” he said.
The timeline document also includes health requirements for pilgrims and regulations regarding the maximum number of ‘syarikah’ (service providers) permitted for Hajj operations. “It is mentioned that only one syarikah is permitted, but we will attempt to renegotiate this because our pilgrims exceed 200,000, making a single provider quite difficult to manage,” the Minister noted.
He added that the government has also received the payment schedule from Saudi Arabia and will align it with national planning. “We will immediately draft Indonesia’s Hajj timeline to ensure it is in sync with the Saudi Arabian Government’s timeline, so that the 2027 Hajj preparations can proceed optimally,” said Minister Irfan.
Gratitude was expressed to the Indonesian Parliament (DPR RI), including the DPR Hajj Oversight Team, various ministries and agencies, and the media members involved in the Hajj Media Centre (MCH). He noted that media support is vital in conveying accurate information to the public and the families of pilgrims in Indonesia, helping to provide clarity amidst unverified information circulating on social media.