Indonesia to Transfer Rp4 Trillion Hajj Down Payment to Saudi Arabia Before July 2026 Deadline

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj) will soon fulfil the policy of transferring the down payment for the organisation of the 1448 Hijri/2027 AD Hajj pilgrimage to the Government of Saudi Arabia before the deadline on 15 July 2026. Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak stated in Jakarta on Wednesday that the transfer is mandatory because it will be used to pay for services when bookings are made. He noted that the amount to be transferred reaches approximately 858 million Saudi Riyals (SAR), equivalent to roughly Rp4 trillion. The funds are compulsory as they will be used to pay for various Hajj services in Saudi Arabia during the booking process. Dahnil explained that the transaction for organising the Hajj is conducted on a Government-to-Government (G to G) basis, meaning Indonesia deals directly with the Saudi Arabian government, which then transacts with Saudi businesses, known as syarikah, and this process has a deadline. Therefore, the government is seeking approval to promptly prepare for the 1448 Hijri/2027 AD Hajj pilgrimage. Regarding service providers for the 2027 Hajj season, Dahnil said the government is still conducting evaluations and has not yet decided which companies will be used. He mentioned that the Saudi Arabian government prefers the pilgrimage to be served by a single syarikah, but the Indonesian government hopes to continue using two service providers to create competition and allow for a comparison of service quality. Meanwhile, Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives stated that the down payment can be processed according to the applicable mechanism through the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) and reported to the commission regarding the completed payment.