Number of haj pilgrims falls by 70%

JAKARTA (JP): Registrations for the government-organized haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia have plummeted by almost 70 percent this year because of the economic crisis, a report said on Thursday.

Only 61,226 Moslems had signed up for the haj program when registration closed on Wednesday, Antara said.

Indonesia, with the world's largest Moslem population, sent 198,984 pilgrims in 1997.

The registration deadline was extended twice this year.

Saudi Arabian authorities have allotted a quota of 202,000 for Indonesian pilgrims this year. In the past, Indonesia often requested greater quotas for its pilgrims because of high interest, but the situation has changed dramatically since the onset of a crippling economic crisis in July last year.

Moslems make up 87 percent of Indonesia's 202 million people.

The government annually organizes the pilgrimage, with officials saying each pilgrim must pay Rp 21 million (US$2,700) for the full board and transport package.

The director for haj affairs at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Tulus, said pilgrims paid Rp 1.4 trillion this year.

South Sumatra is sending the most pilgrims (14,680), followed by East Java (9,500), West Java (5,924), Jakarta (4,796), and Central Java (3,908).

The pilgrims will be flown to Saudi Arabia through Polonia Airport in Medan, Halim Perdanakusuma in Jakarta, Juanda in Surabaya, Hasanudin in Ujungpandang, Sepinggan in Balikpapan and Adisumarmo in Surakarta. The annual event is a month-long logistical challenge for the Indonesian government which coordinates documentation, food and transport for the travelers.

Islam requires financially able followers to perform the haj pilgrimage to sacred Moslem sites in Saudi Arabia at least once in their lifetime.