“I have emphasized to the teams being deployed that there must be no intention to gain even one rupiah from our work, whether in Indonesia or in Saudi Arabia,” Yusuf said in Jakarta on Wednesday during the handover of the 2026 Hajj operational budget.
The minister stressed that all Hajj pilgrims’ funds must be spent strictly according to need and managed in an accountable and transparent manner to ensure the benefit and welfare of the pilgrims.
“These funds must be used based on real needs, so that this year and in the years ahead the management of Hajj funds is truly accountable. Our main orientation is the interests and welfare of the pilgrims,” he said.
Yusuf noted that the annual circulation of Hajj funds is substantial, reaching around Rp18 trillion, or about US$1 billion, and therefore requires responsibility that goes beyond administrative compliance to include moral and spiritual accountability.
To strengthen oversight, the minister said two directorates within the ministry have law enforcement authority, namely the Inspectorate General and the Directorate General of Control of Hajj and Umrah Organization.
He added that funds entrusted by the ummah must be managed properly and carefully to maintain public trust in the organization of the Hajj pilgrimage.
“The management of the ummah’s funds must be carried out in the best and most orderly manner possible,” Yusuf said.
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Translator: Asep, Kenzu
Editor: Primayanti
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