Indonesia Gets a Hajj Quota of 241 Thousand Pilgrims This Year

Jeddah, MINA – The Government of the Republic of Indonesia can dispatch 241 thousand pilgrims to perform the Hajj pilgrimage in the Holy Land in 2024 AD/1445 Hijriah based on an agreement with the Government of Saudi Arabia.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Religion in Jakarta, the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and the Minister of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia Tawfiq F. Al-Rabiah have signed an agreement regarding Hajj affairs in 1445 Hijriah, which includes quotas for Hajj pilgrims for Indonesia.

“We agreed on several things with Saudi Arabia. “One of them, the number of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims who will depart is 241 thousand people,” said Yaqut in Jeddah on Monday.

The Minister of Religion revealed that this number consisted of 221 thousand normal quotas and 20 thousand additional quotas which had been approved by the King of Saudi Arabia.

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“This quota is the largest in the history of the Indonesian Hajj pilgrimage,” he said.

Previously, in 2019 Indonesia received a quota of 231 thousand pilgrims. This number will decrease to only 100,051 pilgrims in 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, for the 2023 Hajj, Indonesia received a quota of 229 thousand.

Also present at the signing process were Chairman of Commission VIII DPR Ashabul Kahfi, Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Abdul Aziz Ahmad, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Jeddah Yusron B. Ambary, Head of BPKH Fadlul Imansyah, Director General of Hajj and Umrah Organizing Ministry of Religion Hilman Latief, as well as Ministry officials Religion.

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According to the Minister of Religion, apart from increasing the number of quotas, there are several service improvements in the Hajj affairs agreement or Ta’limatul Hajj.

“Thank God, some of our requests for better Hajj services have been fulfilled by the Government of Saudi Arabia,” he added.

“For example, regarding placing congregations in Mina. “We can determine the position of the congregation’s tent which is closer to the Jamarat, as long as the contract implementation is carried out more quickly,” explained Yaqut.

Still related to improving services, the Government of Saudi Arabia also gives the Government of the Republic of Indonesia the freedom to choose service providers (syarikah) during the peak of the Hajj.

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“It doesn’t have to be this syarikah or that syarikah, Indonesia is given the freedom to choose. “This opens up opportunities to choose the best service provider for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims,” he said

“This is a very extraordinary innovation carried out by the Government of Saudi Arabia,” he continued.

On the same occasion, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, expressed his commitment to providing the best service for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims.

“We are very happy and honored to be able to serve Hajj pilgrims from all over the world, especially Indonesian Hajj pilgrims. “We are also always open to discussions to improve services for the dhuyufurrahman,” said Tawfiq. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)