Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and Police Form Task Force to Prevent Illegal Hajj

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj) is collaborating with the Indonesian National Police (Polri) to form a Task Force (Satgas) for Preventing Illegal Hajj. This strategic step is intended to eradicate fraudulent practices and the departure of pilgrims without official documents, which frequently harm the public.

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, stated that the formation of this task force is a direct follow-up to instructions from President Prabowo Subianto to strengthen protections for Indonesian pilgrims.

Dahnil explained that for this year’s Hajj, the Saudi Arabian government is implementing very strict rules regarding travel documents.

“So this year, Saudi Arabia is not issuing Hajj furoda. Clearly, the legal visa is the Hajj visa,” Dahnil emphasised in Jakarta on Thursday (9/4).

The task force will operate from the central to regional levels, involving professional personnel. The government will not hesitate to take firm action against travel agencies or operators proven to send pilgrims illegally.

“That’s what we want to prevent, so if it continues to happen, the police will automatically take criminal action,” Dahnil said.

He also urged prospective pilgrims to remain disciplined in following departure rules through officially recognised channels by the state.

“We repeatedly urge Indonesian pilgrims who wish to perform Hajj to use the legal channels: first, the regular registration. Second, the special Hajj, only those two,” he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of the Indonesian National Police, Commissioner General Dedi Prasetyo, emphasised that the task force will prioritise preventive efforts to help the public recognise fraud tactics early. However, strict monitoring will also be conducted at departure points.

“We will also prevent at all exit points for pilgrims departing for Hajj, and take firm action against every criminal act,” Commissioner General Dedi stressed.

Based on police data, throughout 2026, Polri has handled at least 42 cases of Hajj and Umrah fraud. The total losses from these dozens of cases reached a staggering Rp92.64 billion.