Indonesia's Hajj Minister Calls for Evaluation Over Praise for 2026 Pilgrimage

Indonesia's Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, has called for a comprehensive evaluation of the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage, stressing that praise for the event should not overshadow the need for critical assessment and improvement.

"Enough praise, enough appreciation. Today we start the evaluation," Yusuf stated at the opening of a national work meeting in Jakarta. He acknowledged that the positive feedback received serves as encouragement but insisted that evaluation is the primary necessity for making comprehensive improvements. The ministry aims to ensure better services for Indonesian pilgrims in future seasons.

The evaluation will focus on several critical aspects, including the health of pilgrims, services provided in Mina, and the financial schemes for Hajj, especially in light of increasing service costs. Yusuf noted the success in reducing pilgrim mortality this year but deemed it insufficient, expressing a goal to further decrease the death toll in the upcoming years.

Yusuf, affectionately known as Gus Irfan, made these remarks upon receiving 444 pilgrims returning to the Jambi Hajj Embarkation Center. The pilgrims were from the city of Jambi and Muaro Jambi Regency, part of the BTH 20 flight group. The minister's focus remains on identifying shortcomings to enhance the overall Hajj experience for Indonesian citizens.

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Enough praise, enough appreciation. Today we start the evaluation. Praise becomes encouragement, appreciation becomes vitamins for us, but evaluation remains the main need.