'Waiting-list' haj pilgrims asked to re-register

JAKARTA (JP): Approximately 40,000 haj applicants who failed to go on pilgrimage the last time around will be required to re- register between July 1 and August 31 in order to qualify for next year's haj season.

Director General for Haj Affairs Amidhan said the prospective pilgrims, who were turned away early this year because the 195,000 quota allotted by the Saudi Arabian government could not be raised, could start re-registration at the banks through which they initially paid their haj fee.

"Those people, who were consequently placed on a waiting list, will have first priority in next year's operation of the haj pilgrimage," Amidhan told reporters on Tuesday.

Amidhan said the early re-registration is expected to help smoothen the haj operation next year, Antara reported.

Amidhan also said the ministry is currently preparing the special passports for 1996 haj pilgrims. The passports, "designed to look nicer", are expected to be completed by the end of July so that those who re-register early can also get their passport at an earlier time.

Earlier this year the government appeased prospective pilgrims, disappointed because they could not make the trip, by promising that they would not have to pay more for the 1996 pilgrimage. The cost of this year's haj pilgrimage was Rp 7,010,000 (approximately US$3,186).

Some of the waiting-list pilgrims had made full payment and had not withdraw their money from the banks. The situation has raised questions about whether they would get bank interest.

Amidhan did not answer directly, but explained that the government has always calculated the haj costs based on the appreciation of rupiah toward two foreign currencies, which are the American dollar and Arabian riyal.

The government pays for the air transportation of the pilgrims in dollars and for the accommodation, in Saudi Arabia, in riyal, he said.

"The government will never burden the pilgrims," Amidhan said.

According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs' record, there were 44,927 prospective pilgrims who failed to go when haj season began in April. Following tough negotiations with the Saudi Arabian authorities, the government was able to send 7,007 of them to the Holy Land of Mecca on several of the last flights.

Only 1,630 people withdrew their money from the banks, while the remaining 36,290 people kept their payments there.

Amidhan disclosed that the prospective pilgrims, who withdrew their money, may have to pay a different sum of money, in accordance with the presidential decree on haj payment, which is expected to be issued in early September.

The registration period for this group is between the day that the decree is issued to Sept. 29, 1995, he said.

Amidhan also said that the ministry has agreed to cooperate with Garuda Indonesia airline and the banks appointed to manage the haj payment, in establishing a computerized network to ensure that 1996 haj registration would proceed in an orderly manner. (swe)