Gus Irfan: Hajj Dormitories Must Become Umrah Pilgrim Service Hubs

Minister of Hajj and Umrah (Menhaj), Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, is encouraging more than 30 Hajj dormitories in Indonesia to not only serve as venues for the Hajj pilgrimage but also as service centres for Umrah pilgrims, while being managed as productive state assets. “Hajj dormitories should not only be centres of government budget expenditure, but need to develop into sources of state revenue through optimal facility management,” said the man familiarly known as Gus Irfan after inaugurating the 2025 State Sharia Securities (SBSN) Building at the Class I Hajj Dormitory in Banjarmasin on Friday (10/7/2026). According to him, the various facilities owned by the dormitories must be utilised throughout the year to improve service quality while generating added value for the state. He urged that all Hajj dormitories be functioned as service hubs for Umrah pilgrims. The available facilities can be used as integrated service centres prior to the pilgrims’ departure to the Holy Land, ensuring prospective pilgrims receive better service. “Umrah pilgrims can receive good service before departure, so that the existence of the Hajj dormitories is felt more widely,” he said.