To achieve the goal, the ministry will strengthen its workforce by recruiting additional Hajj officers who are experienced in supporting pilgrims with disabilities, especially those skilled in sign language.
"It will be a plus point for Hajj officer candidates who can communicate with pilgrims with speech impairment, and they can be employed to serve disabled pilgrims," Hidayat noted as per the ministry's written statement here on Wednesday.
He explained that this new focus on ensuring elderly and disability-friendly Hajj next year addresses earlier criticism regarding the lack of attention for elderly and disabled pilgrims during previous Hajj seasons.
The ministry will also impose a maximum age requirement of 45 years for the recruitment of officers in key positions, such as emergency and first-aid services (PKP4JH), to ensure staff members maintain the physical stamina required to provide round-the-clock optimum services for pilgrims, he noted.
"PKP3JH officers are recruited from medical officers working at hospitals operated by the police and the military," he remarked.
All Hajj officer recruits will also be required to present complete medical check-up reports to verify their physical fitness to carry out their duties during the Hajj season.
Hidayat said the recruitment of Hajj officers for the 2025 Hajj will take place from November to December 2024 through a staged selection process at the city/district, province, and national levels.
Meanwhile, the Hajj director confirmed that 2025 marks the final year of the Religious Affairs Ministry's management of Hajj operations, following President Prabowo Subianto's establishment of a separate Hajj Agency (BPH) with Irfan Yusuf as its head.
The Hajj Agency is expected to assume full operational control by 2025-end, pending the complete preparation, he noted.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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