Suara.com – The Ministry of Religion revealed the discourse on the increase in the cost of the 2023 Indonesian pilgrimage. Not only the Ministry of Religion, the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture through Minister Muhadjir Effendy also said the same thing.
Muhadjir said the cost of traveling for the Indonesian Hajj pilgrimage so far had been cheaper than it should have been due to subsidies.
The Ministry of Religion proposes BPIH in 2023 of IDR 69,193,733 per person. This figure has increased from the previous IDR 39,886,009 per person.
The issue of rising costs for the Indonesian haj has reaped pros and cons from various parties. Here’s the review.
If it doesn’t go up, it will burden the government
Muhadjir Effendy said that if the increase is delayed, it will only burden the government.
“Because, so every year actually there is a fee charged to prospective congregations that is below the value it should be,” he continued.
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Not only Muhadjir Effendy, Chairman of the National Hajj and Umrah Commission, Mustolih Siradj, assessed that the steps taken by the Ministry of Religion to increase the costs of the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage were for the good and financial sustainability of the pilgrimage.
Chairman of the National Commission for Hajj and Umrah, Mustolih Siradj, considers that the government’s proposal for Hajj expenses is a consequence that is difficult to avoid.
“It is difficult to avoid the increase in the costs of the pilgrimage because it was triggered by increases in various components of demand, both in Indonesia and in Saudi Arabia,” said Mustolih as reported by Antara, Sunday (22/1/2023).
Mustolih also said that costs must be adjusted to the reality on the ground. This is because the prices for hotels, air transportation, lodging, catering, medicine, and others are also the same.
Increase in Hajj Fees Raise Political Suspicion
In addition to the pros, there are also cons. The National Mandate Party considers this increase proposal to be very unwise because it was carried out at the end of President Joko Widodo’s administration.
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“Based on mapping the use of the budget and also the current situation of society, the proposal to increase the 2023 BPIH is considered very unwise,” said Chairman of the PAN faction in the DPR RI Saleh Partaonan Daulay in his official statement, quoted Monday (23/1/2023).
Apart from that, Yoyok Sukawi as the legislator strongly rejected this policy. The reason is that he hopes that the costs of the pilgrimage will not be a burden to the community because he is in the process of recovering after the pandemic.
Achmad Nur Hidayat as a Public Policy Expert and Economist at the Narasi Institute also provided his comments. For him, this increase was illogical and raised suspicions of other interests.
Saudi Arabia Lowers Hajj Package Fees 30%
Unlike what happened in Indonesia, Saudi Arabia actually reduced the cost of Hajj packages by 30%. The details are that the Government of Saudi Arabia is offering Masyair service packages in 2023 for domestic citizens as follows:
1. From SAR 10,596 – SAR 11,841 (around IDR 43 million – IDR 48 million)
2. From SAR 8,092 – SAR 8,458 (approximately Rp. 33 million – Rp. 34.5 million)
3. From SAR 13,150 (approximately IDR 53.6 million)
4. Starting from SAR 3,984 (around Rp. 16 million) but without services at Mina, which means only accommodation and consumption of the preachers of Arafah and Muzdalifah
Contributors : Annisa Fianni Sisma
