TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia has been implementing the one gate system for umrah departure since January 2022. Pilgrims from various Indonesian regions must depart from Jakarta.

But the Religious Affairs Ministry is attempting for other provinces to also be able to send umrah pilgrims so it would not only be concentrated from the capital city.

“Inshaallah, there will be more [cities] that can send (umrah pilgrims). We're suggesting from Makasar, from Medan, so [the pilgrims] don't need to go to Jakarta,” said the ministry's director-general of Hajj and Umrah, Hilman Latie, Friday, March 11.

Hilman viewed that it needed to be done considering the people's high enthusiasm to go on the pilgrimage even amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Until today, over 40,000 Indonesian pilgrims left for umrah, so the one gate policy must be modified.

"Alhamdulillah, there were more than 40,000 Indonesian Umrah pilgrims. So the one-gate policy will be expanded,” said Hilman.

Arab Saudi has relaxed the Covid-19 restrictions in the country, which also apply to international travelers. The visitors are no longer mandated to do quarantine and take the Covid-19 test. It also revoked the physical distancing and mask mandatory at Masjid al-Haram and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi.

However, the safety of Indonesian pilgrims remains the priority, said Hilman, so the complete primary vaccine is mandatory.

Read: Saudi Arabia Drops Quarantine; Indonesian Govt Called to Adjust Umrah Policy

Tempo.co