"Previous Hajj pilgrimages have imposed a significant financial burden on the government, with subsidies exceeding 50 percent," he remarked during a visit to Bandung, West Java, on Thursday, as broadcast on YouTube.
He explained that the government's Hajj Fund is no longer adequate to sustain such a high level of subsidy, necessitating a cost structure where 70 percent is borne by pilgrims and 30 percent by the government.
However, the proportion of government subsidies remains open to negotiation with the House of Representatives (DPR), Amin added.
Earlier, Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas proposed a 2024 Hajj cost of Rp105 million per person during a meeting with the DPR Commission VIII, an increase from Rp90 million in 2023.
"The proposal will serve as a basis for discussions to determine the final cost for next year's Hajj pilgrimage," he stated.
Hilman Latief, Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Religious Affairs Ministry, attributed the proposed increase in the 2024 Hajj cost to rising exchange rates and additional services.
The ministry will further discuss the proposal with a DPR working committee to finalize the cost of the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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