The proportion (of the quota) in the provinces...is determined based on the proportion of the Muslim population and/or (the total Hajj pilgrims) waiting lists in each district/city.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Religious Affairs Ministry has issued the Decree of the Religious Affairs Minister (KMA) Number 189 of 2023 concerning Indonesian Hajj quotas for 1444 Hijri/2023 AD, which contains the quota allocation for each province.

"This KMA will become a guideline for all ranks of the Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah as well as the Special Hajj Pilgrimage Organizers in finalizing the preparations for serving Indonesian pilgrims," Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said here on Thursday.

According to the decree, the total quota for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims in 1444 H has reached 221 thousand, consisting of 203,320 regular Hajj pilgrims as well as 17,680 special Hajj pilgrims.

The KMA has stipulated that the regular quota comprises 190,897 regular pilgrims registered for the current year, 10,166 prioritized elderly residents, 685 Hajj and Umrah Guidance officers, as well as 1,572 regional Hajj implementation officers.

"The proportion (of the quota) in the provinces, which divide their (provincial) Hajj quotas into district/city quotas is determined based on the proportion of the Muslim population and/or (the total number of Hajj pilgrims) waiting lists in each district/city," the minister said.

If there are some quotas left until the closing of the payment of the Hajj Pilgrimage Fees (BPIH), they should be awarded to the next regular Hajj pilgrims in the waiting lists of each district/city, he added.

He stated that if there are still some quotas remaining, they can be given to other provinces by prioritizing the ones included in the same embarkation group.

Meanwhile, the quota for special Hajj pilgrims consists of 16,305 slots for pilgrims and 1,375 slots for special Hajj implementation officers, Qoumas informed.

If there are still remaining quotas for special Hajj pilgrims and officers until the closing of payment of the BPIH, the quotas can be given to the next special Hajj pilgrims on the waiting list who are ready to depart.

"The pilgrims who had paid their BPIH in 1441 Hijri/2020 AD, but were not included in the quota allocation and/or postponed their departure in 1443 Hijri/2022 AD (pilgrimage season) are prioritized to become the pilgrims in 1444 Hijri/2023 AD as long as the Hajj quota is available," the minister added.

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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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