Jakarta, MINA – Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) has proposed banning bank loans to pay the down payment for Hajj registration. This proposal is one of the key points in the revision of Law No. 8 of 2019 on the Implementation of Hajj and Umrah, which is currently under discussion in Parliament.
Ina Ammania, a member of Commission VIII from the PDIP faction, stated that taking bank loans for Hajj down payments could financially burden prospective pilgrims and their families.
“If they are not financially capable, they should not take loans. Some think taking a bank loan just for the down payment is acceptable. Still, in reality, the requirement for Hajj is istitha’ah, or financial capability,” Ina stated during a Public Hearing (RDPU) with the Forum for Hajj and Umrah Guidance Groups (FK KBIHU) and the Indonesian Hajj Brotherhood Association (IPHI) at the DPR RI on Wednesday, as reported by Parlementaria.
Ina revealed that in some regions, prospective pilgrims take out loans of up to tens of millions of rupiah to pay the Hajj down payment. If the waiting period for departure is long and the prospective pilgrim passes away before completing the Hajj payment, the financial burden will shift to their heirs.
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“We need to consider the legal framework to ensure that no prospective pilgrims are forced to take loans just to register for Hajj,” she added.
The revision of the Hajj and Umrah Law is an initiative of Commission VIII DPR RI and has been included in the 2025 Priority National Legislation Program (Prolegnas). The Legislation Council of the DPR RI has previously approved 41 draft laws for the 2025 priority list, including the Hajj and Umrah bills.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has opened the Hajj payment settlement phase for regular Hajj pilgrims for the 1446 H/2025 M pilgrimage season, starting February 14, 2025. The Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hilman Latief, explained that pilgrims who have paid an initial deposit of IDR 25 million only need to settle the remaining balance after receiving a benefit of approximately Rp2 million from their virtual accounts.
With this proposal banning bank loans for Hajj down payments, the revision of the Hajj and Umrah Law is expected to provide better protection for prospective pilgrims and ensure that Hajj is performed following their financial capabilities.[]
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