October 21, 2025 | 10:42 am
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has urged the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to lower the hajj costs and shorten the waiting time for Indonesian pilgrims to 26 years.
"The Hajj Minister is not present because he is currently in Saudi Arabia dealing with them, I ask for the hajj costs to continue to decrease. Yes, it can be achieved through efficiency. It can be achieved through efficiency and clean implementation," said President Prabowo during his introduction at the Plenary Cabinet Meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta, Monday, October 20, 2025.
Leading the Plenary Cabinet Meeting in the first year of his administration, President Prabowo requested the Hajj and Umrah Minister Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, who was unable to attend, to review the possibility of reducing hajj costs through budget efficiency.
In addition to lowering hajj costs, Prabowo also wants to expedite the waiting time for hajj to 26 years from the current average of 40 years. The head of state is optimistic that these two targets can be achieved. Moreover, the government has established the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, whereas previously, hajj affairs were under the Hajj Organizing Agency.
Prabowo explained that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah was established at the request of the Saudi Arabian Government, which believed that hajj affairs should be handled at ministerial level.
"Oh, this is the Head of the Agency.' No, they want a minister. What can we do, we adjust," said the President.
On this occasion, the President also conveyed that for the first time in history, the Saudi Arabian Government has amended their laws and approved foreign countries to purchase land in the Holy Land.
Therefore, the Saudi Arabian Government has offered several strategic lands, some of which are not too far from the Masjid al-Haram. However, the land purchase must be conducted through an open auction together with around 90 other entities.
"When I met the Foreign Minister last time, he said, 'Sir, there's a closed auction on October 30. But how many other entities are bidding for the land we want? 90, right?' Hopefully, maybe the Minister of Religious Affairs will lead a special prayer later," said Prabowo.
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