Haj Ministry Committed to Protecting Rights and Comfort of Prospective Pilgrims

Minister of Haj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf has emphasised that the government, through his ministry, has been proactive and firm in negotiating with Saudi Arabian authorities, including domestic service providers, to protect the rights and comfort of prospective Indonesian Haj pilgrims. The statement was made in response to a request from members of the House of Representatives Commission VIII during a working meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday, which questioned the completeness of documents required for Indonesia to transfer an initial down payment of 858,743,189.64 Saudi Riyals for the 2027 Haj operations into an electronic account held by Saudi authorities. ‘There have been several responses and suggestions from the leadership and members regarding what we are doing and have done. Perhaps it is not widely known that we have often, in quotation marks, ’fought’ with the other side,’ Mochamad Irfan Yusuf asserted. Irfan added that he frequently engages in direct personal communication via telephone and messaging with Saudi authorities. He noted that his team is often involved in heated debates with the Muassasah or the Saudi Ministry of Haj if a policy is deemed potentially detrimental, all as a form of rapid response to sudden regulatory changes on the ground. However, he acknowledged that Indonesia’s bargaining position would be much stronger and more respected at the negotiating table if the initial financial obligations were settled. He stated that completing the down payment serves as diplomatic capital to demand maximum service. Without the payment realisation, the scope for Indonesia to lodge complaints or objections would be severely limited due to strict policies there. ‘If we haven’t paid, they’ll say, “Why are you making a fuss if you haven’t paid?” That’s roughly how it is. This is also one of our considerations for trying to pay first,’ the Minister added. Following the dynamics of the meeting, Commission VIII Chairman Marwan Dasopang ultimately supported the Ministry of Haj’s steps. Commission VIII approved the budget transfer for the initial down payment of 858,743,189.64 Saudi Riyals, equivalent to Rp4,007,471,080,797.29, to be allocated for the transfer of basic service costs for pilgrims. However, this approval came with the condition that the Ministry of Haj and Umrah must demand transparency of the payment receipt documents and a detailed breakdown of service requirements from Saudi authorities, ensuring the budget transfer is accountable and does not become a legal issue in the future.