Prabowo Pushes to Cut Hajj Pilgrim Waiting Times

President Prabowo Subianto is prioritizing efforts to shorten the lengthy waiting periods for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims, according to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) and Head of the DPR Hajj Supervisory Team, Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal. Following a meeting with the president, Syamsurijal revealed Prabowo's ambition to expedite the process further, questioning how schemes could be developed to significantly reduce the current backlog.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah aims to standardize the waiting time for regular Hajj departures across all provinces to a baseline of approximately 26 years. This initiative reflects a commitment to alleviating the arduous wait for those aspiring to perform the pilgrimage.

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He even mentioned earlier that if possible, we should expedite the process even further, [questioning] what kind of scheme could be drawn up to ensure this queue is not so long.

During the meeting, parliamentary representatives also presented their findings on pilgrim departure mechanisms and immigration protocols. Syamsurijal highlighted the significant upgrades to pilgrim accommodations as a key achievement of this year's Hajj management. Nearly 17,000 regular pilgrims are housed in five-star hotels in Zone 1, close to the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. Pilgrims shared emotional testimonies, expressing surprise at the quality of accommodation and its proximity to the mosque.

Improvements were also noted in catering services, with the Ministry of Hajj successfully negotiating for a more varied menu that caters to Indonesian palates. President Prabowo has directed stakeholders to maintain these successful structural innovations while continuously evaluating areas for refinement. He also acknowledged the cooperation between the government and parliament during the 2026 Hajj season.

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Pak, we never imagined we would be given such good hotels, or that we would experience the Hajj from a five-star hotel not far from the mosque.