The ten countries are Russia, Iran, Nigeria, China, Turkey, Algeria, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia and Ethiopia, Ahmad Djunaidi, managing director of the ministry`s Hajj Fund, said here on Monday.
Djunaedi made the remark at the Hajj pilgrimage dormitory in Jakarta after giving a briefing to 2011 Hajj pilgrimage organizing committee (PPIH) members.
The foreign countries believed Indonesia already had long experience in organizing the Hajj pilgrimage.
In addition, Indonesia so far had the world`s largest hajj quota, namely 221 thousand people, followed by Pakistan with 175 thousand , India 150 thousand , Iran 120 thousand and Turkey 100 thousand.
Although Indonesia had the largest hajj quota, Indonesian would-be hajj pilgrims on the waiting list until May 2011 reached 1.39 million. Indonesians wishing to make the pilgrimage always had to wait a long time before they could actually do so with the average waiting time recorded at six years.
The Indonesian government, according to Djunaedi, had proposed an increase in Indonesia`s Hajj quota for 2011.
The Religious affairs Minister had proposed an additional quota of 236 thousand pilgrims but the Saudi government had only approved 200 thousand, Djunaedi said.
Djunaedi said further regarding the additional quota priority will be given to prospective pilgrims aged 60 years and older.
(Uu.B003/HAJM/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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