Haj pilgrims complain of extortion

Haj pilgrims complain of extortion

JAKARTA (JP): Only days after the government and the Saudi Arabian embassy solved the problem of late visas for pilgrims which caused some delayed and canceled flights, another hiccup in the haj operation occurred.

A number of pilgrims are complaining that they have to resort to bribery in order to facilitate their trip to the Kaaba in Mecca.

Officials, some pilgrims told The Jakarta Post, demanded money in exchange for documents which will gain them entry into the haj dormitory before taking off for Saudi Arabia.

The government rules that only prospective pilgrims who have been issued visas are given the documents needed to enter the dormitory.

Siti, a pilgrim from Depok, West Java, said she paid Rp 10,000 extra to an official in order to obtain the dormitory document. "It would take more time if I did not give them the money," she said quietly.

"You will not get the document unless you give the officials some money," said Sadli who had to pay Rp 20,000 for both his and his wife's documents.

Suparman, the head of the Jakarta command post for the haj operation, denied that extortion is taking place. "I know nothing about it, and I have never received reports about it," he told the Post.

Abdul, a prospective pilgrim from South Jakarta, inquired about his document by the telephone but failed to get a response. "The official who answered my call only said 'later, later'," Abdul said angrily.

Officials in charge of the haj operation should automatically send the documents to pilgrims who already have visas, two days before the departure schedules at the latest. In practice, however, there are pilgrims who are notified by officials, only hours before departure time, that they should fetch the documents themselves at the dormitory.

Suparman said the delay in sending off the documents occurred because the officials had to rearrange flight schedules. (01)