Smooth departure for first haj pilgrims
JAKARTA (JP): The first flight taking Indonesians on the haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia took off from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport yesterday on time, an encouraging sign to kick off the massive operation which in the past has often been beset with trouble.
Gone was the confusion which colored initial departures of the past, such as the wrong order of flights, delays, lost luggage, or even pilgrims allowed to depart without a Saudi visa.
The Boeing 747 plane belonging to Garuda Indonesia carried 480 pilgrims, including five accompanying officials.
The first flight left after a brief ceremony. Seeing the travelers off were Ahmad Gozali, the director general of Islamic development and haj affairs, and other senior officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Garuda Indonesia.
Gozali said this year's operation was expected to go smoother, thereby allowing pilgrims to carry out their tasks in peace.
"I'm very sure that this year's pilgrimage will be blessed by Allah in spite of the economic crisis," he said.
By 5:30 p.m. yesterday, 6,953 pilgrims had left for Saudi Arabia from Halim and five other airports in the haj operation, according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
A total of 201,961 Indonesians have registered to join in this year's haj pilgrimage, which is compulsory for every Moslem who has the physical and financial ability.
President Soeharto has appointed outgoing Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher as amirul haj, or head of the Indonesian haj delegation. Former Air Force chief of staff Marshal Rilo Pambudi will be Tarmizi's deputy.
Besides Halim, the government has designated five other airports as embarkation points. They are Polonia in Medan, Juanda in Surabaya, Hasanuddin in Ujungpandang, Adisoemarmo in Surakarta, and Sepinggan in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.
Batam's Hang Nadim Airport will also be making its debut in pilgrimage flights with one plane expected to take pilgrims from the Riau province.
Pilgrims leaving from Jakarta check into the haj dormitory in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta, for an overnight stay and last minute administrative and health checkups before boarding their planes.
Air Marshal Rilo paid a short visit to the Pondok Gede Haj Dormitory yesterday to ensure smooth preparations. He also planned to check on five dormitories in other towns.
"I just want to make sure that every pilgrim is properly served," he said.
The first departures from other airports also went relatively smoothly, according to Antara.
But the first flight from Polonia Airport was delayed 20 minutes, the news agency said.
Signs of chaos were seen outside the airport and outside Pondok Gede dormitory as relatives wishing to bid goodbye insisted on seeing their loved ones depart, in spite of an official appeal not to do so and tight security.
The operation to send pilgrims to Saudi Arabia will end March 30. The operation resumes to bring them home after Idul Adha, Moslem Sacrifice Day, on April 7. (emf)