Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Prioritises Services for Elderly and Disabled Hajj Pilgrims
Majalengka (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj) is prioritising services for elderly (lansia) and disabled prospective Hajj pilgrims in the implementation of Hajj departures, including through Kertajati Airport in Majalengka, West Java.
Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak stated that this policy is realised by providing business class seats to priority prospective pilgrims, primarily the elderly and wheelchair users.
“These individuals receive business class facilities. So, the disabled and elderly who use wheelchairs, they sit in business class,” Dahnil said at Kertajati Airport in Majalengka on Friday.
He explained that this policy is also accompanied by adjustments to staff positions, where staff no longer occupy business class seats but sit in economy class with other prospective pilgrims.
According to him, this step is a form of the government’s concern in ensuring that vulnerable groups receive comfort during the journey to the holy land.
In addition, Dahnil mentioned that this year Kertajati Airport will serve around 40 flight groups (kloter) with a total of approximately 17,700 prospective Hajj pilgrims.
He emphasised the importance of optimal services at the airport, considering that Kertajati Airport is currently focused as a Hajj departure terminal.
“Services at Kertajati must be maximal because it is currently widely used as a Hajj terminal,” he said.
Kemenhaj has also requested the airport management to improve service quality, especially since the majority of departing prospective Hajj pilgrims come from the West Java region.
On the other hand, he reminded the public about the prevalence of scams involving non-quota Hajj or without official visas, which are found to be quite high in West Java.
He stressed that pilgrims departing without official Hajj visas risk being prosecuted by Indonesian or Saudi Arabian authorities.
“Anyone who departs without a Hajj visa but intends to perform Hajj will definitely be arrested,” he said.
The government, he continued, has formed the Illegal Hajj Task Force which works with police apparatus to take action against document forgers and scammers.
In addition, supervision of Hajj Guidance Groups (KBIH) and Hajj and Umrah Guidance Groups (KBIHU) has been tightened, including against unauthorised levies.
The Deputy Minister affirmed that his side will not hesitate to impose firm sanctions up to closure for organisers proven to violate regulations.
“So there are already two KBIH that we are evaluating, one from Probolinggo and one from Jakarta. We will evaluate seriously. If we have to close them, we will close them,” he said.