Largest-ever haj pilgrimage winds up

Largest-ever haj pilgrimage winds up

JAKARTA (JP): The last plane bringing home Indonesians from
the haj pilgrimage touched down at the Halim Perdanakusuma
airport yesterday morning, bringing to a close the largest-ever
haj operation organized by the government.

However, not all of the 195,000 pilgrims sent to Mecca came
home.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs, which coordinates the haj
pilgrimage each year, said that 538 Indonesians died during the
pilgrimage, mostly as a result of illnesses they left home with.

Another 12 pilgrim are still being treated in Saudi hospitals.

Ministry officials were quick to point out that the number of
deaths represented a significant decline from last year, when 640
of an Indonesian haj contingent of 165,000 died. In percentage
terms, this year's fatalities represented 0.27 percent of the
total number of pilgrims, as compared with 0.42 percent last
year.

Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher, who greeted the
passengers disembarking from the last haj flight at the airport
yesterday, told reporters that the government would continue to
try to reduce the casualty rates in future haj operations.

He acknowledged that some of the pilgrims who died knew of
their poor health before leaving, but concealed it from the
authorities in the belief that to die during the haj pilgrimage
was a form of martyrdom.

He added that some of the pilgrims had been saving almost
their entire working lives to make the trip, and that nothing,
not even failing health, could prevent them from taking part in
the trip.

The minister said the government would continue to remind
would-be pilgrims that physical preparation was essential before
leaving for Saudi Arabia.

As a matter of policy, the government is urging people not to
wait until they are past 60 or, in some cases, even 70 years of
age, before making the pilgrimage. The majority of Indonesian
pilgrims who died were 60 or more years old.

"However, we do not advise children to go on the haj
pilgrimage, even if their parents can afford it," Tarmizi said.

Other VIPs welcoming the last group of returning Indonesian
pilgrims were Saudi Ambassador Abdullah Abdulrahman Alim,
Minister of Health Sujudi, Director General of Immigration A.
Pranowo, Chairman of Commission IX of the House of
Representatives Ismail Hasan and Jakarta Vice Governor R.S.
Moeseno.

The operation to bring home the Indonesian pilgrims proceeded
smoothly, in marked contrast to the chaos seen during the first
week of their departures, when thousands of people booked on the
first flights turned out not to have a visa from the Saudi
embassy.

Some 40,000 applicants were unable to make the trip because
Indonesia, for the first time, exceeded the quota allocated for
its pilgrims by the Saudi government.

Tarmizi yesterday warned that people who are considering
making the pilgrimage next year should apply as early as possible
to ensure they get a place.

"We will close the registration as soon as the number of
applicants reaches the quota," he said, adding that next year's
quota was likely to remain at 195,000.

Priority would be given to people who applied this year but
were prevented from leaving because of the quota, he said.

Applicants who did not get their money back would not need to
pay any additional sum next year, he added, while those who did
seek a refund would have to pay an extra fee if they applied
again.

The government will review the cost of the pilgrimage for next
year, taking into account the inflation rate and variations in
the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar and the Saudi real, he said.

This year, pilgrims paid just over Rp 7 million to make the
trip. (imn)