Soaring Hajj Costs and Long Waiting Times Impede Indonesians' Pilgrimage Dreams

Jakarta, June 10, 2024 – Ever-increasing hajj costs and lengthy waiting times pose two significant obstacles for Indonesian Muslims seeking to fulfill their pilgrimage duty. This was highlighted during the recent Forum Merdeka Barat 9 (FMB9) Dialogue, themed "Seeking Solutions for Hajj Costs and Waiting Times."

One proposed solution is a revision to Law No. 34 of 2014 on Hajj Financial Management. Acep R Jayaprawira, a member of the Executive Board of the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH), explained that the revision is necessary to provide greater flexibility in managing hajj funds, including establishing a loss reserve.

"For instance, in other financial industries, there are fund reserves to mitigate risks, but this is currently not regulated by existing regulations," he said, as quoted by VIVA English.

In addition to the legal revision, Acep also proposed several other steps to address the hajj cost and waiting time issues:

Providing early hajj cost information to prospective pilgrims
This will allow pilgrims to prepare their funds by making installments, making the burden lighter.

Enhancing BPKH's performance and services
This includes improving efficiency and transparency in hajj fund management.

Conducting hajj literacy campaigns
Educating the public about the obligation of hajj, emphasizing that it is only mandatory for those financially and physically able.

Improving efficiency in hajj quota management
This could involve optimizing quota allocation and reducing administrative procedures.

The government, BPKH, and other relevant institutions must collaborate to realize more affordable and quality hajj for Indonesian Muslims.

BPKH assures Muslims that hajj fund management is currently safe, transparent, efficient, and liquid. It is hoped that with the various proposed solutions, hajj costs can become more manageable, and waiting times can be significantly reduced.