President Prabowo Orders Reduction of Hajj Waiting Period

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak stated that President Prabowo Subianto has instructed the ministry to shorten the waiting period for regular Hajj departures. “Evaluating the 2027 or 1448 Hijriah Hajj operation, the President asked the ministry to find a formula to cut the Hajj queue shorter,” Dahnil said while responding to questions about a meeting with the President in Hambalang, during the reception of Kloter 16 Kualanamu at the Medan Hajj Dormitory on Saturday.

Dahnil acknowledged that the factual waiting time for regular Hajj this year is around 13 to 14 years, although administratively the longest queue reaches 26 years. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has changed the queue system by no longer allocating quotas per province, instead standardising the waiting period to 26 years for all regions. “Previously it was 50 years, 40 years, five years, and various others. Now, administratively, it is all the same at 26 years,” he said.

Although the factual average waiting time is 13 to 14 years, Dahnil noted that the majority of pilgrims now wait only 10 to 12 years. “So, the President’s order is to shorten the Hajj queue. This means we have maximised efforts within this year, and we will likely continue to maximise them,” he added.

Furthermore, Dahnil conveyed that President Prabowo appreciated the greater discipline of Indonesian pilgrims in the Holy Land compared to pilgrims from other nations. The President hopes the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah will focus on providing even better services in the future to realise the dream of all Indonesian Muslims to perform the Hajj. “Therefore, the President wants the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to carry out its functions, namely excellent service. Our orientation at the ministry, as mandated by the President, is to safeguard the safety and comfort of Hajj pilgrims,” Dahnil said.