Saudi Arabia to expedite haj visa processing

Saudi Arabia to expedite haj visa processing

JAKARTA (JP): The Saudi Arabian government has agreed to
process visa applications for next year's haj in Ujungpandang and
Surabaya, as well as Jakarta, in order to prevent a repeat of
last season's chaotic haj operation.

Previously, the visas were processed only in the Saudi Arabian
embassy in Jakarta.

Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher yesterday said the
new arrangement should help reduce documentation processing
problems.

Saudi Arabia, however, has no plan to open consulates. Instead
it will send officials to process visa applications at the two
new embarkation points. Besides Jakarta, Surabaya and
Ujungpandang, Indonesian pilgrims leave from Medan, Surakarta and
Balikpapan.

Indonesia will hold its haj operation from March 14 to May 18
next year.

Documentation and visa problems threw off flight schedules
during the last haj season earlier this year. Apart from
canceled and delayed flights, the operation was marred by
demonstrations by pilgrims who failed to leave on schedule. One
prospective pilgrim, who twice failed to make it to the Holy
Land, killed himself.

The government blamed the situation on a lack of cooperation
between the central office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs
and other institutions, including the Saudi Arabian embassy.

Apart from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, eight other
institutions are involved in the operation: the State
Secretariat, the ministries of foreign affairs, justice, health,
defense and security, home affairs, transportation and tourism,
and telecommunication. (swe)