National Hajj Queue Reaches 5.8 Million, Government Tightens Verification

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf has confirmed that the government is continuing to improve the Hajj queue system to guarantee transparency and fairness of service for prospective pilgrims, including those in Papua Barat and Papua Barat Daya provinces. One step being taken is a thorough verification of the waiting list data to ensure all listed names are legitimate prospective pilgrims. Nationally, the Hajj waiting list has now reached approximately 5.8 million people and continues to grow each year, as new registrants consistently exceed 200,000 annually. The verification process is conducted to ascertain the status of each prospective pilgrim, including tracing whether the individual has passed away, relocated, or transferred their rights to an heir in accordance with regulations. The government is also cracking down on past abuses of Hajj quotas in both the regular and special categories. The Minister stressed that this year there will be no more queue swapping or misuse of the payment process; if a special Hajj candidate fails to pay their travel costs, their quota will be immediately given to the next person in the queue. He affirmed the government’s commitment to preventing individuals from performing the pilgrimage repeatedly within a short period. Law Number 14 of 2024 stipulates that pilgrims who have already performed the Hajj may only register again after 18 years and must follow the applicable waiting list mechanism. The Head of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s Regional Office for Papua Barat reported that the combined waiting list for Papua Barat and Papua Barat Daya currently stands at 12,063 people.