TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Religious Affairs Ministry's Hajj pilgrimage organizing committee (PPIH) has appealed to Hajj pilgrims to not take too many selfies in front of the Kaaba.

"Taking too many selfies in front of the Kaaba will disrupt the solemnity of your rituals as well as of the other pilgrims' (rituals)," Central PPIH spokesperson Akhmad Fauzin said at a press conference on Hajj pilgrimage implementation in Jakarta on Monday.

He also outlined a number of strict prohibitions that Hajj pilgrims in the area of the Grand Mosque will need to pay close attention to, including unfurling banners to take group photos and taking selfies in front of the Kaaba with objects resembling humans and animals, such as wayang.

The Saudi Arabian security authorities will impose sanctions on those found violating the applicable prohibitions, he added.

"With that in mind, the committee is constantly reminding pilgrims to maintain focus on the Hajj ritual during their stay in the Holy Land, particularly during activities at the Grand Mosque. Please refrain from doing too many activities unrelated to worship," Fauzin said.

In addition, the PPIH appealed to the Hajj pilgrims, especially those belonging to the elderly group, to limit activities outside hotels and mosques, as temperatures in Medina and Mecca are currently reaching 30–30 degrees and 31–34 degrees Celsius, respectively.

"Always use footwear when leaving hotels and mosques to protect your feet from the heat. In the event of losing your footwear, do not push yourselves to return to hotels without sandals in the daytime. Instead, seek out officers and ask for their help," he advised.

Based on data provided by the Integrated Hajj Computerized Information System (Siskohat), as of June 5, at least 73,577 people, consisting of Hajj pilgrims and Hajj officers from 191 flight groups, have arrived in Medina city.

"The number of pilgrims who died has increased by 3. The pilgrims were Muhammad Yusuf Dedeh from the BTJ 04 flight group, Umi Hanik Mualam from the SUB 26 flight group, and Jajang ibn Ijin from the JKS 09 flight group. To date, a total of 15 pilgrims have died," he informed.

ANTARA

Editor's Choice: Govt Mulls the Use of GPS Bracelet for Elderly Hajj Pilgrims

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News