Indonesia Minta Tambahan Kuota Haji ke Pemerintah Arab Saudi
Indonesia Religious Affairs Minister Asks Saudi Arabian Govt for Increase Hajj Quota
Reporter : Rizki Saleh
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
Mekkah (B2B) - Menteri Agama Lukman Hakim Saifuddin mengusulkan penambahan kuota jamaah haji bagi Indonesia saat bertemu dengan Menteri Haji Kerajaan Arab Saudi Bandar bin Muhammad Hajjar.
"Dalam rangka peningkatan layanan kepada jemaah haji khususnya dari negara besar seperti Indonesia Menteri Agama menyampaikan beberapa usulan antara lain penambahan kuota untuk jemaah haji Indonesia," kata Dirjen Dirjen Penyelenggaraan Ibadah Haji dan Umroh Kemenag, Abdul Djamil, menjelaskan hasil pertemuan yang berlangsung di kantor kementerian haji wilayah Mina Jeddah, Rabu.
Pada kesempatan itu Menag menyampaikan bahwa daftar tunggu jamaah haji Indonesia mencapai mencapai 20 tahun sehingga dengan adanya penambahan tersebut diharapkan dapat memperpendek waktu tunggu.
Menteri Lukman juga menyampaikan alternatif solusi penambahan kuota haji Indonesia yakni dengan memanfaatkan kuota negara lain yang tidak terpakai. "Meski belum memperoleh jawaban pasti akan tetapi Menteri Haji sangat memperhatikan aspirasi yang disampaikan," kata Dirjen Abdul Djamil.
Persoalan fasilitas di Arafah dan Mina juga menjadi perhatian Menag. Menang mengusulkan pemerintah Kerajaan Arab Saudi untuk dapat menambah fasilitas toilet, ambal (alas tidur) dan pendingin ruangan baik di Arafah maupun Mina.
Termasuk juga diusulkan agar jamaah Indonesia bisa ditempatkan dekat dengan Jamarat (tempat melempar jumrah) saat di Mina. Hal itu dengan pertimbangan fisik jamaah Indonesia lebih lemah dibanding dengan jamaah haji negara-negara lain.
Jika hal itu tidak dapat dilakukan, atas nama kesetaraan bagi seluruh bangsa semestinya penempatan perkemahan jamaah haji dilakukan dengan sistem qur’ah (diundi).
Terkait dengan usulan itu, Menteri Haji Bandar meminta agar masyarakat Indonesia dapat memahami kondisi sesungguhnya di Mina yang dibatasi oleh ketentuan Rasulullah yang tidak dapat diperluas.
Pemerintah Arab Saudi berinisiatif membangun gedung-gedung bertingkat di atas bukit-bukit Mina, akan tetapi hal ini tidak mudah diterima dari sisi syariah. Demikian juga halnya, jamaah haji tidak dapat menerima penempatan mereka di tempat ini.
Menteri Haji Arab Saudi, kata Dirjen, mengharap Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia dapat mensosialisasi kesulitan-kesulitan yang dihadapi pemerintah Arab Saudi yang tidak mudah. Menteri Haji Arab Saudi mengatakan semua proyek perluasan dan fasilitas yang diberikan demi memberi kenyamanan dan memprioritaskan keselamatan kepada seluruh jamaah haji. (Ant)
Mecca (B2B) - Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin asked for an increase in quota for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims, during a meeting with Saudi Arabian Hajj Affairs Minister Bandar bin Muhammad Hajjar.
"In order to provide better services to Hajj pilgrims from a nation as big as Indonesia, the religious affairs minister put forward several proposals, including one on increased quota for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims," the ministrys Hajj Pilgrimage Director General, Abdul Djamil, said after the meeting in Jidda on Wednesday.
Saifuddin told the Saudi Arabian minister that on an average, an Indonesian has to wait for 20 years for his or her turn, and that an increase in quota of seats for Indonesia could shorten their wait.
Moreover, he hoped that seats that were not fully utilized by other countries could be given to Hajj pilgrims in Indonesia.
"Although there has been no response in this regard yet, the Hajj minister has made note of our requests," the director general said.
In the meeting, the Indonesian minister also suggested that Saudi authorities increase the number of public facilities provided to pilgrims, including toilets, air conditioners and sleeping mats in Arafah and Mina.
He also suggested that Indonesian Hajj pilgrims be given accommodation near Jamarat in Mina because most of them were senior citizens.
If Saudi Arabian authorities are unable to meet these demands, Indonesia hopes that the locations of camps for Hajj pilgrims from the world over in Mina are decided through a draw.
In response to the suggestions, the Saudi minister asked the Indonesian public to understand the restrictions in Mina because they cannot expand the area, in line with Prophet Muhammads rulings.
The Hajj Affairs Minister further hoped that the Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister explains to Indonesians the difficulties that the government in Saudi Arabia faces.
He also affirmed that the Saudi government provides various facilities for the comfort and safety of every Hajj pilgrim.
This year, as many as 160 million Muslims from Indonesia were sent for Hajj pilgrimage.
