"The House of Representatives will still study which price components of the pilgrimage cost could be reduced so that the hajj cost would be within the financial reach of the people," Iskan Qolba Lubis of the House Commission VIII said here on Monday.
The government and the DPR will this week begin advance talks on hajj pilgrimage cost. In a draft it has sent to the House, the government is proposing an increase in the hajj pilgrimage cost from US$3,342 in 2010 to US$3,846.7 this year with the assumption that the rupiah exchange rate against one US dollar would be Rp9,000.
The government has proposed an increase in a number of cost components among others, Indonesia-Saudi Arabia-Indonesia flight ticket at US$2,076, dormitories in Mecca at 3,400 real (previously 2,850 real), dormitories in Madinah at 650 reals (previously 600 reals).
Iskan said that the government`s increased cost proposal would still be studied by the House, for example, the price offer of the airlines.
"We will have a hearing with other airlines to receive input on direct cost," he said.
He also emphasized the need for the state audit board (BPK) to audit the haj pilgrimage cost in 2010 before the amount of the 2011 cost was to be decided.
"We want the hajj pilgrimage cost to be set at a lower rate," he said.(*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
