Tears and Prayers Accompany the Departure of 89 Hajj Pilgrims from West Bandung
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, WEST BANDUNG – Tears of emotion and prayers accompanied the departure of 89 prospective Hajj pilgrims from West Bandung Regency (KBB), West Java, who were sent off on Wednesday (13/5/2026). They are part of kloter KJT 29, which will be flown to the Holy Land of Mecca from West Java International Airport (BIJB) Kertajati in Majalengka.
The farewell procession for dozens of prospective Hajj pilgrims took place at Masjid Ash-Shiddiq, Ngamprah, led by Regent Jeje Ritchie Ismail and Deputy Regent Asep Ismail. They are heading to the Hajj Embarkation in Indramayu before being flown out on Thursday (14/5/2026).
“We are together sending off the prospective Hajj pilgrims of kloter KJT 29; this is a form of the government’s attention to ensuring the smooth process of this year’s Hajj worship. Praise be to God, alhamdulillah, all have been granted health and smoothness,” said Jeje.
He prayed and advised that all prospective Hajj pilgrims be granted smoothness and maintain their health while carrying out all stages of this year’s Hajj worship. Thus, they can return to the homeland in a healthy and fit condition and become haji mabrur.
“I pray that all are granted health and smoothness. They can return to West Bandung in a healthy state, without any reduction in numbers because many of those departing this year are elderly. I pray that all goes smoothly and they become mabrur,” said Jeje.
He also asked all prospective Hajj pilgrims to pray for West Bandung to always be granted blessings and for its development to progress further. “I also entrust prayers to the pilgrims to pray for West Bandung to be granted blessings and kept away from calamities.”
Head of the West Bandung Regency Office of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Enjah Sugiarto, said that the number of prospective Hajj pilgrims from West Bandung departing this year is only 89 people, plus two Regional Hajj Officers (PHD) and one guide from the Hajj and Umrah Worship Guidance Group (KBIHU).
“This year 2026, the pilgrims departing from West Bandung number 89 people. The oldest pilgrim is 86 years old and the youngest is 25 years old,” said Enjah.
The number of prospective Hajj pilgrims departing to perform the fifth pillar of Islam this year has decreased drastically compared to last year, which reached 1,228 people.
This situation is due to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah implementing a quota distribution policy based on waiting list proportions, no longer as in previous years which referred to the proportion of the Muslim population.
If based on the Muslim population proportion as before, West Bandung always received an allocation of over 1,000 people each year. This year, the Ministry of Hajj chose based on the waiting list proportion, so the quota for West Bandung this year is only 168 people.
“If those who are eligible and have paid in full are actually 168 people, those who have paid are 107. From the 107, there are pilgrims who deferred departure due to health reasons and waiting for a mahram, and then some who transferred departure outside of West Bandung. So, only 89 are departing,” said Enjah.