Each of the 1443 Hijri (2022 AD) Indonesian Hajj pilgrims will receive a maximum of 119 meals during the pilgrimage period.Jakarta (ANTARA) - A team of the Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah (PHU) at the Religious Affairs Ministry headed to Saudi Arabia to finalize catering services for Indonesian pilgrims amid the implementation of 2022 Hajj pilgrimage.
“According to the directives of Religious Affairs Minister (Yaqut Cholil Qoumas), we are required to work during the Eid Al-Fitr national leaves period to prepare the services for (Indonesian Hajj) pilgrims," secretary of the directorate general Ahmad Abdullah Yunus noted in a statement on Saturday.
While dispatching the team at the Soekarno Hatta Airport, Banten Province, on May 6, 2022, Yunus remarked that the preparation of food services for pilgrims were being made since early 2022.
However, since the exact figure of the pilgrimage quota had not been announced by the Saudi Arabian authority at that time, the preparation was halted at the contract negotiation stage based on estimated data of the pilgrims.
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"Hence, the team is going to Saudi Arabia to finalize the negotiation with the catering provider, especially for the services (when the pilgrims stay) in Jeddah and at the peak phase of Hajj in Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina (Armuzna)," the directorate general secretary stated.
Meanwhile, consumption services for pilgrims while performing their pilgrimage in Mecca and Medina had been negotiated and currently only the service quota had to be adjusted.
After completing the negotiation, the team will submit a proposal for determining the provision of consumption services to the Hajj Affairs Office (KUH) of the Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah.
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Thus, the office can finalize the contract process of the service provider.
"Each of the 1443 Hijri (2022 AD) Indonesian Hajj pilgrims will receive a maximum of 119 meals during the pilgrimage period,” Yunus -- who is concurrently the head of the catering negotiation team -- stated.
The figure includes 75 meals in Mecca, 27 meals in Medina, 16 meals in Armuzna (including one package of snacks in Muzdalifah), as well as one meal at Jeddah Airport, he elaborated.
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Translator: Prisca Violleta, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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