President asks for Hajj queue to be cut further; Ministry hopes for large quota increase from Saudi

Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs is working to further reduce the Hajj pilgrimage waiting times, following a directive from President Prabowo Subianto. The president has requested a shorter queue than the current average of 26 years.

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Yes, from the longest 49 years, now it's all the same, a 26-year waiting period. That is an administrative time, but factually, those departing in 2026 and 2027 are already facing a 13-14 year waiting period.

Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, explained that the standardization of the waiting period to 26 years was an administrative measure to reduce disparities between regions, where waiting times previously reached up to 49 years. He noted that those departing in 2026 and 2027 are actually facing waiting times of 13-14 years.

President Prabowo is reportedly paying close attention to the long Hajj waiting lists, a common complaint among the public. The government is actively seeking innovative solutions to allow prospective pilgrims to depart sooner. However, Dahnil acknowledged that further reducing the waiting time is challenging.

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We hope that in the future there will be a scheme where the quota increase is massive.

One key strategy the government is pursuing is a substantial increase in Indonesia's Hajj quota from Saudi Arabia. "We hope that in the future there will be a scheme where the quota increase is massive," Dahnil stated. He emphasized that any increase in the quota must be accompanied by adequate service preparations to ensure the quality of services for the growing number of pilgrims remains high.

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The challenge is that we must be more prepared with services for a very large number of pilgrims departing.