Security body to help govt in haj affairs

Security body to help govt in haj affairs

JAKARTA (JP): Concerned by the numerous problems in the
dispatching of 195,000 Indonesian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, the
government decided yesterday to involve a security coordinating
body to make the ongoing operation run more smoothly.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
Soesilo Soedarman said after leading a special limited cabinet
meeting that the Agency for the Coordination of Support for the
Development of National Stability (Bakorstanas) is ready to be
deployed.

He did not specify how the agency could help matters.

The Director General of Islamic and Haj Affairs Ahmad Gozali
told The Jakarta Post, however, that the agency has actually been
involved all along. The agency officials, for instance, have been
deployed to maintain security in the operation, he said.

The first days of the operation, which started last Saturday,
were marked with chaos when thousands of prospective pilgrims had
to cancel their departures because of lack of visas. A number of
pilgrims reacted to these trials and tribulations by
demonstrating at some haj offices.

Tensions dissipated markedly after the Saudi Arabian embassy
completed issuing the visas on Thursday. Reports about problems
in the dispatching of pilgrims at some regions were still coming
in, however.

"Now the condition has improved greatly," Ahmad said,
signaling that the security agency's involvement is no longer
needed. "Even if they are still deployed, it's only as a
precaution."

Soesilo described the magnitude of responsibilities involved
in the operation. "Sending out all these pilgrims is like
dispatching 20 troop divisions," he said.

The job requires perfect coordination from all institutions
involved, he added. "Proper approaches should be employed at all
levels, from regional haj affairs offices to embarkation points,"
Soesilo said.

He conceded that many flaws have crept in and that, from now
on, every detail of the operation has to be re-examined and
improved.

"Even small problems can get out of hand and become big
problems unless proper solutions are found promptly," he said.
"It's like a chronic illness".

Commenting on the numerous cancellations and delays of
flights, as well as other glitches, which occurred in the
operation over the past week, Soesilo said better job definitions
are definitely needed.

He suggested, among other things, that an official be
appointed to process the passports of passengers belonging to one
flight.

Meticulous attention to detail would prevent officials from
engaging in a game of pass-the-blame when things go wrong, he
said.

The hour-long meeting was also attended by Chief of the Armed
Forces Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Minister of Transportation Haryanto
Dhanutirto and Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher.

Tarmizi ducked out when reporters approached him for comments.

The Antara news agency reported from Banjarmasin, South
Kalimantan, that at least 160 seats were left vacant yesterday
because the pilgrims had yet to receive their visas. (01)