RI HAS HAJJ QUOTA OF 211,000 FOR 1.4 MILLION IN WAITING LIST

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 28 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has asked Saudi Arabia for additional allocation of 27,000 to its hajj quota of 211,000 pilgrims this year as its would-be hajj pilgrims have reached 1.4 million in the waiting list.          In the face increasing lodging and flight fares, the government is also seeking increase in hajj pilgrimage cost from US$3,342 in 2010 to US$3,846.7.          Indonesia's hajj quota this year is set at 211,000 similar to that in 2010 but the Indonesian government wants an increase in line with the increase of its population which has reached 237 million.          "We are still striving to get an increase of 27,000 from the Saudi government but so far there has not been any decision about it," Religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali said recently. He said request was made based upon the latest census data on the country's population which now reaches 237 millions.          Indonesia wants the Saudi Government to increase its quota to 238,000 this year, the minister said.          When he visited Medina this month, Vice President Boediono   urged Indonesian diplomats dealing with Hajj pilgrimage affairs in Saudi Arabia to strive for an increase in the Hajj pilgrimage quota.  "We should strive to have the quota raised because many of the country's Muslims haven't yet enjoyed the opportunity to conduct the Hajj pilgrimage, and have to wait for many years," Boediono said.          The vice president believed that many Indonesian would-be Hajj pilgrims had to wait 12 years before they could leave for Mecca and Medina for the hajj pilgrimage.          "It's a very long time to wait. We should be more active to get an increase in our quota," the vice president said.          Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali traveled to Saudi Arabia in March to ask for an increase in the hajj quota. Indonesia is still waiting for the Saudi government's reaction.          The minister said that  if the request is met it will be divided among provinces, based on a population increase. "If it is met we will divide it among the provinces according to the number of population," he said.          In the meantime, Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Bahrul Hayat said on Monday that the governments of Indonesia and Saudi Arabia should soon discuss efforts to increase the number of tents in Mina, one of the hajj ritual sites, to anticipate the possibility of Saudi Arabia increasing quota for Indonesia's hajj pilgrims.          "It is very important for both governments to discuss and increase the number of tents for Indonesian hajj pilgrims because tent facilities are related to hajj rituals," said Bahrul Hayat.          He said that Indonesia had requested an increase in its hajj quota which at present was 211,000. This number is not proportionate with the Indonesian population of 237 million.          Based on regulations of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), a country will have a quota of one pilgrim for each 1,000 of its population.          If this ratio is used, Indonesia still has a chance to get an increase in its quota by 26,000 pilgrims.          Until June 7, 2011, some 1,420,915 people had been listed as planning to perform the Hajj pilgrimage this year.          Besides seeking increased hajj quota, the government is also proposing to raise the hajj pilgrimage cost from US$3,342 in 2010 to US$3,846.7 in 2011. This proposal is still discussed with the House of Representatives.          "We are still discussing the 2011 hajj pilgrimage cost with the House Commission VIII on religious affairs. But the government and the DPR will try not to increase it. Yet,  there were other factors that might increase hajj pilgrimage cost, including aircraft fuel (avtur) price," he said.          The minister said that if fuel price went up, flight fare would undoubtedly follow and in turn it would have an impact on hajj pilgrimage cost.          He said  the airline companies that would transport Indonesian hajj pilgrims this year had proposed a US$342 increase in flight fare to US$2,076 from last year's US$1,734.          However, Iskan Qolba Lubis of the  Commission VIII  said he was opposed to the government's plan to raise the hajj pilgrimage cost from US$3,342 in 2010 to US$3,846.7 in 2011.          "The House of Representatives will still study which price components of the pilgrimage cost could be reduced so that the hajj cost would be within the financial reach of the people," he said.          He urged the religious affairs ministry to refer to the ministry of transportation's proposal in reformulating transportation cost for hajj pilgrims so as to lower the amount.          "The House of Representatives is still studying the amounts of various components of the hajj pilgrimage cost that can still be cut so that the total cost will be within the financial reach of most people," Iskan said.          Minister Suryadharma Alie said that the government and the House of Representatives would actually try not to raise the 2011 hajj pilgrimage cost.          "Of course, we will discuss it (the proposed flight fare hike) so the hajj pilgrimage cost will not increase," he said.          Hopefully, the 2011 hajj pilgrimage cost could be decided in the near future, he said.***6*** (T.A014/A/H-NG/a014) 28-06-2011 15:35