Haj organizers blamed for departure postponement

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government blamed a delay in the departure of about 1,200 Muslims making the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia on the haj organizers who arranged the flights.

Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agil Husein Al Munawar said the government did not intervene in transportation matters entrusted to travel agencies organizing the pilgrimage.

Said was responding on Monday to an incident in which Indonesian Airlines left the pilgrims stranded in numerous hotels and haj centers in the city last week after their departure was delayed for several days.

The pilgrims' departure was delayed after Saudi Arabian authorities refused to allow the airline's planes to land at King Abdul Aziz International Airport because its flights to the country were not guaranteed by any bank.

"We have no business contract with Indonesian Airlines. It is the pilgrimage organizers' responsibility to determine what airlines pilgrims will fly on," the minister said.

The stranded pilgrims should have enjoyed better services as they took a special pilgrimage scheme (ONH Plus).

Said Agil also denied rumors that he steered pilgrims and haj organizers to the new airline because he had close ties with its owner.

"I don't even know who owns the company," he said.

The minister said the problem with the pilgrims had been resolved and they had left for Saudi Arabia several days ago.

The pilgrims were carried by four airlines, Garuda, Qatar, Malaysia and Emirates.

There around 200,000 Indonesians are making pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Mecca.

Separately, legislators from House of Representatives Commission VI for education and religious affairs urged the government to sanction travel agencies found responsible for any pilgrimage departure delays.

"We are tasked with supervising the implementation of the haj pilgrimage. We really regret the delay that resulted in the mistreatment of the pilgrims," said Heri Akhmadi, deputy chairman of the commission.

In response to this incident, Commission VI and Commission IV for transportation are scheduled next week to hold a joint hearing with national flag-carrier Garuda Indonesia Airways and Saudi Airlines.

Taufiq Kamil, head of Islamic education and pilgrims at the religious affairs ministry, said Indonesian Airlines would be sanctioned.

He added that Indonesian Airlines would likely also be sanctioned by the transportation ministry.

Legislator Anwar Arifin said up to now pilgrims were transported by Garuda because it was the only Indonesian airline with a landing permit in Saudi Arabia.

"We were surprised by the appearance of Indonesian Airlines. We became even more surprised by the departure delay for the haj pilgrims," he said.

He said the government should explain to the public what sanctions would imposed against the airline and why it had allowed the newly established airline to transport pilgrims while other airlines in the country were not allowed to do so.