"I would like to ask all officials to prepare Hajj services in a detailed manner. It is important to pay attention to every single relevant aspect," he remarked in Medina, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, as cited from a statement received here on Thursday.
Qoumas then affirmed that President Joko Widodo had instructed the ministry to ensure that this year's Hajj pilgrimage will be much better than those in the previous years.
He also noted that this year, the government would continue to adopt the theme of "Elderly-friendly Hajj," considering that the total number of elderly pilgrims this year reaches around 40 thousand people.
"This will serve as one of the legacies of President Joko Widodo. We need to continue to prepare Hajj services by placing pilgrims as the focus," he remarked, adding that all services must provide convenience to Indonesian pilgrims in performing the annual Islamic ritual.
Related news: Indonesia to send 241,000 people to this year's Hajj pilgrimage
On a separate occasion, Saudi Arabian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Waleed Abdulkarim, emphasized that the Saudi Government would continue to improve the Hajj system, management, and services.
Continuous improvement is essential to properly serve pilgrims coming from all over the world, including those from Indonesia, he stated.
Abdulkarim noted that the Saudi government and people view providing the finest services to pilgrims as a noble deed despite acknowledging the complexity in Hajj preparations.
He then invited the Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry to continue to maintain sound communication with the Saudi Arabian Government to deal with likely problems and challenges in the implementation of the Hajj pilgrimage.
Related news: Minister Qoumas heading to Saudi Arabia to discuss Hajj-related guide
Translator: Asep F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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