Muslim leaders, legislators back move to restrict haj trips

Muslim leaders, legislators back move to restrict haj trips

Tiarma Siboro and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Muslim leaders and legislators have thrown their weight behind
the government's plan to limit an individual's haj trips to one
every five years. It is hoped that this would reduce potential
problems, including the annual haj quota.

Muhammadiyah chairman Achmad Syafii Maarif supported the
government's plan. He said on Thursday that it would reduce
difficulties in monitoring the pilgrims.

"I think it is a good idea and we have to support it because
it won't be easy to monitor the some 200,000 pilgrims, who are
mostly poorly educated.

"Such a limitation must not be considered a violation of
rights. We should ask whether the rights benefit us or not (in
such cases)," he told The Jakarta Post by phone.

Ahmad Bagdja, deputy chairman of the country's biggest Muslim
organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), suggested that the government
issue a regulation that prioritized first-time haj pilgrims.

NU and Muhammadiyah, the second biggest Muslim organization,
have around 70 million members.

Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agiel Munawar said on
Thursday that the policy would enable more people to perform a
haj pilgrimage, once of the five Islamic obligations written in
the Koran and Hadith, a collection of Prophet Muhammad's deeds
and words.

The statement coincides with the House of Representatives
(DPR)'s move to draft a revision of Law No.17/1999 on haj
organization.

Arismunandar, spokesman of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), also suggested
that the government prioritize first-time haj pilgrims.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung hailed the government's plan,
saying that it should be followed with better management.

"Principally, I agree with that idea. Technicalities should be
discussed seriously," Akbar said.

The House's draft revision includes the proposal to set up an
independent institution to end the Ministry of Religious
Affairs's monopoly of the lucrative business.

Syafii further warned the government of possible problems
concerning the enrollment of the pilgrims, considering that
"certain individuals may use another address to enable them to
perform another haj trip".

In addition, Bagdja suggested that the government should give
priority to husbands who wanted to accompany their wives to
Mecca.

"According to the Hadith, someone who is wealthy should
perform the pilgrimage at least once. For those who can't afford
it, it is considered sunnah (non-obligatory)," he explained.