Government waives permit for 'umrah' pilgrimage
Government waives permit for 'umrah' pilgrimage
JAKARTA (JP): One permit was abolished yesterday, but this has
nothing to do with cumbersome business permits. This one is the
permit required for people intending to perform umrah -- a minor
haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher announced that
President Soeharto has agreed to waive the rule obliging people
to obtain the permit from the Directorate General of Immigration
if they go during the Ramadhan month.
The move, he said, was taken because of the big jump in the
number of people performing umrah during the current Ramadhan
fasting month. "Just yesterday, for example, about 50,000
Indonesians returned from Saudi Arabia after performing umrah."
"President Soeharto asked me to simplify the procedures for
umrah during Ramadhan, but said that the requirement would be
reimposed if people abused the facility," he said after reporting
to the head of state at the latter's Jl. Cendana residence.
The regulation was imposed in 1983, supposedly to prevent
people from abusing their stay in Saudi Arabia, by staying there
for two more months and join haj proper pilgrimage.
Despite the regulation, thousands of people each year have
performed the haj proper this way, some finding jobs in between
to support their stay.
Tarmizi warned that the government would clamp down hard on
travel agents and brokers who organize such trips luring people,
particularly the poor, with promises that they can easily find
jobs in Saudi Arabia.
In reality, he said, many people were left stranded with no
money even to pay for their return airfare.
Tarmizi said that his office would also tightly monitor travel
agencies which organize umrah pilgrimages.
The presence of these Indonesian overstayers has also affected
pilgrims whose travels were arranged by the government, as Saudi
Arabia has imposed strict quota for each country.
Indonesia has been allocated a quota of 196,000 pilgrims,
while actual demand is believed to exceed that number.
The government has been encouraging those who could not join
the haj proper to go on umrah pilgrimages instead. (imn)