Purbaya Cancels Hajj Departure: Sad, Perhaps Not Yet

Jakarta, VIVA – Indonesian Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has cancelled his plans to perform the Hajj this year, saying perhaps it is not his time yet. ‘I’m not going (on the Hajj). Maybe it’s not the time yet,’ he told reporters at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Thursday, 21 May 2026.

On the other hand, he said he is prepared to accept that he cannot perform the pilgrimage this year. It is possible that Purbaya will undertake the Hajj in 2027. ‘It’s okay, maybe it’s not the time yet. Next year, I’ll go on the Hajj,’ he added. ‘Well, it’s a bit sad, not too sad. Perhaps the time just isn’t right,’ he continued.

Earlier, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa was set to depart to perform the Hajj on Thursday, 21 May 2026. He stated this when speaking to reporters at the Presidential Palace complex on Monday, 18 May 2026. ‘Thursday, if there are no obstacles,’ he said.

Purbaya said he had prepared to perform the Hajj for the past two weeks, including studying prayers and acts for the pilgrimage. ‘The Hajj preparation was two weeks ago; I’ve studied the prayers, but I still forget some of them,’ he noted.

The former head of the Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS) planned to perform the pilgrimage for 10 days and then return to Indonesia.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said that, as of day 28 of the 2026 Haj operations, a total of 464 batches (kloter) comprising 179,463 pilgrims and 1,851 officials had been dispatched to Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, 455 batches with 175,682 pilgrims and 1,820 officials had arrived in Mecca.

For the arrival of the second wave of pilgrims via King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah, 190 batches had arrived, comprising 72,904 pilgrims and 759 officials. Additionally, 12,180 special pilgrims have also arrived in Saudi Arabia and have begun the rites according to the schedule.