Jakarta, March 11 (Antara) - The 2.5 million people now on waiting
lists as they seek to travel as hajj pilgrims hope to see transparent
management of the estimated Rp77 trillion hajj fund.
Representatives of the House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission VIII
on religious affairs has also expressed its hope that the hajj funds
would be managed transparently to assure the public that the funds are
being administered properly.
"The potential of funds from would-be hajj pilgrims is large. It is
estimated to have reached Rp77 trillion. The government is expected to
increase its hajj facilities and improve its services to would-be hajj
pilgrims," House Commission VIII Chairperson Ida Fauziah said in
Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Monday.
Those hoping to become pilgrims would feel their money is safe if the
fund management is carried out transparently. Further, they expect to be
offered proper services, even if pilgrimage costs are reduced.
The Hajj Pilgrimage Cost (BPIH) this year has been reduced by US$308 from US$3,527 in 2013 to US$3,219 per pilgrim.
During a working meeting with Commission VIII of the House last
December, the Religious Affairs Minister reported that potential hajj
pilgrims had paid a total down payment of Rp56.8 trillion. In the
meantime, the Hajj Trust Funds (DAU) have reached Rp2.4 trillion.
The
number of potential hajj pilgrims on the waiting list has also reached
2.5 million people, who have paid down payments of Rp56.8 trillion.
Indonesia
has an annual hajj pilgrim quota of 211,000, but last year the Saudi
government reduced this by 20 percent, or 42,200 pilgrims, to 168,000
pilgrims due to the expansion of the Haram Mosque.
This year, the government agreed to reduce the Hajj Pilgrimage Cost (BPIH) from US$3,527 to US$3,219.
"The House and the government have agreed to reduce the BPIH to
US$3,219," Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII, Ledia Hanifa, said on
Tuesday last week. She claimed that the hajj pilgrimage costs could be
reduced after economizing on the costs of a number of pilgrimage
components, such as flights.
"When
we discussed matters relating to the BPIH, we always asked the
government to make the hajj pilgrimage as efficient as possible, without
reducing the quality of services to the pilgrims," Ledia remarked. The
government is always asked to negotiate efficient costs, for example, on
flights, accommodations in Saudi Arabia and catering services.
Meanwhile, Director General of Hajj and Minor Hajj Affairs (PHU)
Anggito Abimanyu has urged all members of the Association of the
Indonesian Hajj and Minor Hajj Agencies (Amphuri) to properly supervise
poorly performing hajj travel agencies in order to guarantee they offer
satisfactory services to pilgrims.
"I
appeal to Amphuri to help the government discipline its members," said
Anggito, when inaugurating the Secretariat of Amphuri Executive Board on
Tuesday (March 6).
Earlier,
Amphuri Executive Board Chairman Joko Asmoro stated that his
organization has recorded significant progress and improved the hajj
pilgrim service system though the Amphuri Management System (AMS).
The
system has provided a breakthrough in offering simpler services for
pilgrims, and pilgrims can see the transparent hajj management process.
This is intended to avoid deceit.
"In the future, there will no
longer be would-be pilgrims who can not depart because they have
tickets but have no visas, or have visas but no tickets. Ahead, they
will have tickets, visas and accommodating hotels, all in one package,"
Joko said.
In response to the Amphuri's efforts, Director General Anggito
Abimanyu praised their work, stressing that Amphuri must regulate its
members, because policies in Saudi Arabia are evolving and the Saudi
government often revises policies.
The director general also explained that the funds for special hajj
pilgrimage programs have been recorded at US$367 million. The funds,
based on existing regulations, are to be deposited at Bank Syariah.
The
number of potential pilgrims under the special pilgrimage program has
reached 89 thousand, with an annual hajj quota of 13.6 thousand.
With regard to the BPIH, Anggito said earlier that the government and
the DPR had agreed that the amount of the BPIH, at an average of
US$3,219, had been lowered by US$308 compared to the 2013 BPIH.
With
the exchange rate assumption in the state budget at Rp10,500 per US$1,
the BPIH would be equal to Rp33,779,500. "But the real exchange rate for
the BPIH will be the current rate when the would-be pilgrims pay off
their BPIH," Anggito said.
However, he said, the amount of BPIH would vary from one embarkation
point to another. A presidential regulation will be issued soon on the
amount of BPIH for pilgrims departing from 12 flight embarkation
points.***3***
(T.A014/INE)
(T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 11-03-2014 21: |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar