The ministry's Director General of Hajj and Umrah, Hilman Latief, believes it is a must to discuss challenges and issues in the hajj organization, primarily financial and budget matters, in order to conceive the best solutions.
"At present, we are facing several challenges. Our first issue pertains to interstate regulations, which required compromise," Latief noted, as per the statement received here Friday.
Other challenges faced in the hajj organization are fluctuations in the hajj quota and fees that should remain proportional while not burdening hajj pilgrims, he pointed out.
The director general noted that those issues must be deliberated among relevant institutions, such as the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH), the ministry's director of Hajj services, representatives of national Islamic organizations, and academics.
"We also encourage the BPKH to increase its benefit value to push hajj pilgrims to be ready with the hajj fee," Latif noted.
He believes that basic concepts regarding proportional and fair hajj financing to provide the best possible services for pilgrims could be achieved during the discussion.
"Other institutions, such as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), pointed out that the ministry must conceive a fair hajj financing concept," the director general remarked.
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Meanwhile, the ministry's Director of Hajj Development, Arsad Hidayat, stated that the forum would be the first step before the national-level hajj discussion forum.
"At this forum, we want to hear from speakers, who manage the hajj financing first-hand, how are the latest hajj travel fees, and how to maintain a sustainable hajj organization next year," Hidayat stated in his report during the event.
He noted that the forum also deliberates some issues relevant to the surge in hajj services fees in Saudi Arabia.
"I think this will be interesting because various media have highlighted the sustainability of hajj organization while the price of some service packages in Saudi Arabia is surging," the ministry director remarked.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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