"The Saudi government must give dispensation with priorities and the quota cut must be shared transparently," General Chairman of the IPHI Kurdi Mustafa said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia deserves dispensation in the hajj quota cut the Saudi government will impose this year, the Indonesian Hajj Solidarity Association (IPHI) said.

"The Saudi government must give dispensation with priorities and the quota cut must be shared transparently," General Chairman of the IPHI Kurdi Mustafa said during a thank-giving function held to observe the 23rd anniversary of IPHI here on Sunday night.

He said that his side supported the Indonesian government`s efforts to obtain dispensation priority from Saudi Arabia which would cut hajj quota by 20 percent this year.

Kurdi said that Religious Affairs Minister Suryadarma Ali would soon held diplomatic dialogs with the Saudi government over the dispensation.

"The Indonesian government is proposing it but we do not know the results yet. We hope we can get priority," the IPHI chairman said.

He also expressed hope that the Saudi government`s decision to cut the hajj quota would be understood by the public.

The Saudi government has cut Indonesia`s hajj pilgrimage quota this year by 20 percent or 42,200 pilgrims from 211,000 to 168,000 pilgrims, Suryadarma Ali said earlier.

"We call on the 180,000 would-be hajj pilgrims who have got their turn to go to the Holy Land this year to patiently wait for policies to be issued by the Religious Affairs Ministry after it holds a meeting with the Saudi Arabian government. We hope would-be pilgrims would give us time," the minister said.

He said that the religious affairs ministry would assure the departure in 2014 of would-be hajj pilgrims who were affected by the Saudi policy and could not go to the Holy Land this year. If next year, there is an increase in hajj pilgrimage cost, they would not be charged with the difference.

"The minister of religious affairs will make diplomatic efforts and discuss it with the Saudi government immediately, particularly with the Saudi minister for hajj affairs and with other relevant parties. We will also ask for dispensation," Suryadarma said.

The Saudi government`s policy to cut the hajj quota was contained in the Saudi religious minister`s letter on June 6, 2013 which said that the quota was cut because there was a delay in the completion of the rehabilitation of the Haram Mosque. It was cut to ensure the safety of hajj pilgrims.

The minister said that the Saudi government cut not only the quota of Indonesia but also of all countries which sent hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. The quota of respective countries was cut by 20 percent from the basic quota as agreed by member countries of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

"The delay in the completion of the rehabilitation of the Haram Mosque reduced the mosque`s accommodating capacity for the tawaf (encircling the cubical shrine) ritual. It could initially accommodate some 48,000 pilgrims for the tawaf ritual per hour. With the delay, the accommodating capacity dropped to 22,000 pilgrims only," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013