According to Director General of the Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimage Organization Hilman Latief, the assessment aims to improve services for Indonesian pilgrims.
Despite increasing the Hajj quota to 241 thousand this year, the pilgrimage remains fraught with challenges. Long waiting lists, illegal pilgrimages, and operational issues have marred the experience for several Indonesians.
Pilgrims from South Kalimantan face a staggering 38-year wait, while those from North Sulawesi endure a 16-year queue. This year, Saudi authorities detained 37 Indonesian pilgrims for using fraudulent documents, while 203 were denied entry due to visa issues.
"We will also address strategic issues, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will implement new regulations next year," he remarked.
Regarding the Hajj evaluation to be conducted by the House of Representatives' Special Committee for Hajj Inquiry (Pansus Haji), Latief expressed hope for enhanced Hajj services for all Indonesian pilgrims.
"We anticipate that this dynamic process will ultimately lead to improved Hajj services in the future, both in terms of service quality and required changes," he stated.
Earlier, House member Maman Imanul Haq raised additional concerns about the 2024 Hajj implementation.
Health standard violations, opaque quota distribution, flight delays, subpar catering and accommodation, and inadequate facilities at worship sites were among the issues highlighted.
Haq thereafter also drew attention to the delays in Hajj flight departure, especially by Garuda Indonesia, which reached 60 percent of the total delays.
Furthermore, he assessed that the catering and hotel services prepared for pilgrims did not meet the criteria set by the Hajj Work Committee.
Moreover, according to a report he received, 40 percent of the bathrooms at Hajj worship locations were not usable, and the tents set up in Arafat were overcrowded.
"It is important for us to improve Hajj service delivery in the future. We will continue to collect these evaluation notes and ask questions about these aspects to the Ministry of Religious Affairs as the organizer of Hajj, according to the Hajj Law's mandate," he stated.
Latief acknowledged the challenges and emphasized the importance of addressing strategic issues, including new Saudi Arabian regulations. The ministry has invited Saudi officials to participate in the evaluation process online.
Both the Ministry and the House of Representatives' Special Committee for Hajj Inquiry are committed to improving Hajj services in the future.
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Translator: Sean Filo Muhamad, Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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