"The agenda for this visit includes talks on a plan to develop a village for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims in Mecca," Umar stated before departing from Jakarta on Tuesday.
The minister emphasized the urgency of executing the plan, noting that Indonesia sends a large number of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to Saudi Arabia every year.
"Just imagine—1.5 million Indonesians participate in Umrah and over 220 thousand perform the Hajj pilgrimage every year. With this in mind, it is time for Indonesia to propose a constructive, long-term solution to support services for pilgrims," he elaborated.
Expressing confidence in the plan, Umar highlighted that the Saudi Arabian government acknowledged Indonesia's effective management of its Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.
In this context, he referred to praise from Saudi Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Abdul Fattah Mashat, during a recent visit to an Indonesian Hajj affairs office in Mecca.
"Thank God, the implementation of Hajj by Indonesia has been lauded directly by the Saudi government. Moreover, they regard Indonesian Hajj pilgrims as the most disciplined group," he remarked.
Despite some minor shortcomings, the minister affirmed that Indonesia remains among the most adaptive countries in responding to changes in Hajj systems and regulations.
"This proves that we are on the right track in terms of preparedness," he stressed.
He expressed hope that the governments of Indonesia and Saudi Arabia would further intensify their bilateral cooperation in Hajj and Umrah affairs, ensuring greater benefits for Muslims in Indonesia.
Earlier, President Prabowo shared that he had personally presented the Hajj village plan to the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
"The last time I met with him (the Prince), I presented Indonesia's intention to establish a village for Indonesians in the Holy Land, as close as possible to Masjid al-Haram. His response was quite positive," President Prabowo stated in Tangerang, Banten, on May 4.
He remarked that Prince MBS had invited further discussions on the technical aspects of the village's construction, particularly regarding development details.
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Translator: Asep F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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