"If only Hajj visas are allowed for the pilgrimage, then visit visas should not be issued before the Hajj season," he said in Padang on Sunday.
He noted that the Saudi government continues to issue 90-day visit visas, which allow Indonesian citizens to enter Saudi Arabia and potentially perform Hajj using these visas.
"Visit visas are still being issued a week before the Hajj season, which means visitors have a legal reason to be in Saudi Arabia during Hajj," he added.
He pointed out that many Indonesians with visit visas end up performing Hajj, which violates regulations.
"Ultimately, it depends on the policy of the Saudi Arabian government," he said.
Indonesia is the largest source of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims for Saudi Arabia. Data shows that around 2 million Indonesians perform Umrah, while approximately 220,000 perform Hajj each year.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira Riswan
Editor: Anton Santoso
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