TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said he will officially issue the ministry’s decision on the 2021 hajj pilgrimage today, June 3. The decision had been earlier discussed with Commission VIII of the House of Representatives (DPR).

“All members of Commission VIII and I have discussed the implementation of hajj from A to Z. We conclude that because we have to arrange something first, inshallah, we will announce it tomorrow afternoon at the Religious Affairs Ministry office in Thamrin. So please be patient for a moment,” said Yaqut at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, on Wednesday, June 2.

Saudi Arabia has not yet given certainty for the hajj quota this year. Meanwhile, the ministry’s hajj mitigation team has passed the deadline to prepare the hajj pilgrimage based on its simulation.

Yaqut also said he did not understand the reason why the Saudi government had not given entry permits to Indonesia ahead of the 2021 hajj pilgrimage, while it had granted permits to 11 countries, namely the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Italy, Britain, Ireland, Japan, Germany, France, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Deputy Chairperson of DPR Commission VIII, Ace Hasan Syadzily, suggested that the ministry firmly decide not to send pilgrims this year. “Instead of giving hope. And we also can't give guarantees to them (Hajj pilgrims), it's better for us to be firm. It's better to postpone the departure,” said Ace at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, on Wednesday.

According to Ace, the government must mainly consider the safety of pilgrims and the risk of Covid-19 transmission. The government, he opined, could not just wait for Saudi Arabia, but must decide the issue by themselves.

Read More: Saudi Arabia Yet to Allow Hajj Pilgrims from Indonesia; Minister Yaqut Responds

DEWI NURITA