Government Urged to Expedite Hajj Queue for Elderly Pilgrims

Member of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives (DPR), Maman Imanul Haq, has called on the government to focus on addressing the Hajj waiting list issue, particularly for the elderly group. This was stated in the presence of the Minister of Hajj and Umrah (Menhaj), Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, who floated the idea of a Hajj ticket lottery. According to him, accelerating the queue is something that needs a solution, given the many prospective pilgrims who have waited a long time, leaving their physical condition no longer optimal. “We must honestly face the reality. Many elderly pilgrims have waited a long time, even some have passed away before they could depart. This must be the priority of policy,” Maman said during a working meeting with Menhaj at the Parliamentary Complex, Jakarta, on Tuesday (14/4/2026), quoted from the TVR Parlemen YouTube broadcast. He hopes that the Hajj queuing system in Indonesia becomes more fair, transparent, and just for prospective pilgrims. “Hajj policy is not just about the technicalities of departure, but concerns social justice and worship services. The state must be present to ensure that those who need it most receive priority,” Maman stated. Additionally, he highlighted the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj) for raising the Hajj ticket lottery idea amid preparations for the 2026 or 1447 Hijriah Hajj pilgrimage. “We are entering a crucial phase of Hajj preparations. All parties should focus on pilgrim service readiness, not introduce new ideas that could cause confusion in society,” Maman said. It is known that the government is reportedly reviewing the existing system to find solutions to this long queue problem. One solution is the Hajj ticket lottery idea, first proposed by Minister of Hajj and Umrah (Menhaj) Mochamad Irfan Yusuf. In the working meeting with Commission VIII, Irfan responded to the polemic surrounding the lottery ticket system for the Hajj pilgrimage. “This one that caused a stir, I admit it’s a lottery ticket, this lottery ticket is indeed a concept we’re discussing at the Ministry of Hajj, and if asked who is responsible, I am the one who first introduced the term lottery ticket,” Irfan said. He also opened the possibility of halting discussions on the idea if deemed too premature. “And if it’s considered too premature, we’ll close it for now until today, while we complete the Hajj that’s right in front of us,” Irfan explained.