Ministry of Hajj: 171 Elderly Hajj Pilgrims from Situbondo Receive Special Treatment

Situbondo (ANTARA) - The Situbondo Regency Office of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj) in East Java is providing special treatment to 171 elderly prospective Hajj pilgrims through the Hajj Service Officers (PPIH) for flight groups (kloter).

Head of the Situbondo Regency Kemenhaj Office, Rif’an Junaidi, stated that out of 993 prospective Hajj pilgrims from the area, 171 are elderly pilgrims receiving special treatment or services from the PPIH kloter.

“Actually, these elderly prospective Hajj pilgrims already have companions (from family), but the PPIH kloter still provides special treatment,” Rif’an said after the farewell and joint prayer event for the 2026 prospective Hajj pilgrims at the Situbondo Regency Pendopo on Thursday.

The prospective Hajj pilgrims, scheduled to depart early on Thursday (14/5), he continued, include five who failed to depart or postponed their journey to the Holy Land.

As of today, Rif’an said, the number of prospective Hajj pilgrims is 993, including three Regional Hajj Officers (PHD) and an additional 10 PPIH kloter officers.

“For the preparation of the prospective Hajj pilgrims’ departure, it has reached 99 percent today, and we just need to wait for the departure on 14 May,” said Rif’an Junaidi.

Based on the data obtained, the youngest Hajj pilgrim from Situbondo is Afif Farhan Fatwa, aged 13, from Tokelan Village, Panji Subdistrict, while the oldest is Artini Suardi, aged 85, from Pesisir Village, Besuki Subdistrict.

The Hajj pilgrims in Kloter 88 and 89 are from Situbondo, while Kloter 87 is a combination with pilgrims from Bondowoso, and Kloter 90 is a combination with pilgrims from Jember Regency.

The Situbondo Regency Government is facilitating 26 buses, including reserve buses, to transport the prospective Hajj pilgrims to the Sukolilo Hajj Dormitory in Surabaya.