Minister of Religion goes to Saudi Arabia to inspect preparations for the Hajj pilgrims

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Minister of Religious Affairs, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, will go on a working visit to Saudi Arabia today, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. The Minister will inspect the final service preparations for Hajj pilgrims prior to their departure to the Holy Land.

“I am going to Saudi Arabia (Arabia) to check the final preparations for the service for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims. I will inspect the preparations in Makkah and Madinah, including the services in Arafah, Muzdalifah and Mina,” Yaqut said.

This year, Indonesia received a quota of 241,000 Hajj pilgrims, consisting of 213,320 regular and 27,680 special Hajj pilgrims. Regular Hajj pilgrims will gradually leave for Saudi Arabia on May 12, 2024. This departure process will last until June 10, 2024.

Yaqut will be in Saudi Arabia for four days and return to Indonesia on May 11, 2024. “We will also meet with Masyariq in Jeddah to update the preparations of various services under their responsibility,” Yaqut said.

In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Religious Affairs is said to be discussing mitigation measures to ensure services run smoothly. “We will check the preparation of hotels and consumption for the Hajj pilgrims in both Makkah and Madinah. We will also check the readiness of the shalawat bus station in Mecca, both in Syib Amir and Ajyad,” he said.

Before the Hajj pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Religious Affairs will send the Saudi Arabian Hajj Organizing Officials (PPIH) for 2024. The Saudi Arabian PPIH advance team departed on May 2, 2024.

Additionally, the PPIH Airport and Medina Division will depart on May 8, 2024. Meanwhile, the PPIH Mecca Division will embark on May 15, 2024.

“God willing, I will supervise the embarkation of the first group of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on May 12, 2024,” Yaqut said.

DEFARA DHANYA PARAMITHA

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