This One Gate Policy stipulates that all Umrah pilgrims must depart from Soekarno-Hatta Airport and undergo quarantine in Jakarta upon their arrivalJakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Religious Affairs has reminded operators of Umrah pilgrimages (PPIU) to comply with the One Gate Policy to streamline administrative formalities and minimize the potential for COVID-19 transmission.
"Together, we must support the One Gate Policy set by the Ministry of Religious Affairs," Director General of Hajj and Umrah (PHU) at the ministry Hilman Latief said in a statement here on Saturday.
The One Gate Policy is a centralized system for the pilgrims' embarkation, he explained.
"This One Gate Policy stipulates that all Umrah pilgrims must depart from Soekarno-Hatta Airport and undergo quarantine in Jakarta upon their arrival," Latief informed.
The policy also regulates health checks, PCR swab tests, vaccination status checking, immigration, and other documentation, he said.
"The point is to protect the pilgrims by providing maximum protection, and ensure that they are in a healthy condition with valid and maintained documents," Latief added.
The policy must become a common concern of all elements considering that during the Umrah pilgrimage, the Ministry of Religious Affairs is responsible for facilitating and coordinating pilgrims, he said. Meanwhile, PPIUs are responsible for Umrah implementation, he added.
"Umrah is business to business, meaning that if you get a visa, you can go for Umrah," he said.
Earlier, the Ministry of Religious Affairs had embarked 419 Umrah pilgrims, Indonesia's first batch in the two years since the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Latief said the pilgrims had followed the One Gate Policy. Thus, health protocols implementation in both Indonesia and Saudi Arabia can be monitored properly, he added.
"Because the first Umrah in this year can determine the next Umrah, even for the implementation of Hajj this year. This is a long wait after being delayed many times and finally, we can realize it today. At least there are tens of thousands of Umrah pilgrims in Indonesia whose departures are still pending," he informed.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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