First Group of Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims Departs; Government Collaborates to Ensure Perfect Service
The first group of nearly 6,000 Indonesian Hajj pilgrims has departed for Saudi Arabia. The Indonesian government, through its newly independent Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, has implemented an 'Elderly-Friendly' program with extensive medical support to assist aging pilgrims.
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- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 13:35
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(Central News Agency intern reporter Luo Weijia, Taipei 24th) This year's Indonesian Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca began this week, with the first group of members departing successively from 14 airports nationwide to Saudi Arabia on the 22nd. The Indonesian government attaches great importance to this, using multi-party close collaboration and administrative support to ensure the long journey and rituals of nearly 6,000 believers proceed smoothly.
According to a report by Indonesia's national news agency Antara, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated yesterday that President Prabowo Subianto highly values the rights and interests of the pilgrims and has instructed relevant units to ensure all service facilities are ready, demonstrating the best support from medical care and transportation to accommodation.
As explained by the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Every Muslim with sufficient financial and physical capability must travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for Hajj at least once in their lifetime. By circumambulating the "Kaaba" at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and gathering for prayer at Mount Arafat, believers commemorate the acts of faith of the Prophet and Friend of Allah, Ibrahim, and his family, embodying human equality and universal brotherhood in uniform attire.
To ensure the smooth progress of the large-scale annual Hajj activities, the Saudi Arabian government and Indonesia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah have established a close high-level coordination mechanism. They regularly sign Hajj agreements every year to conduct detailed consultations on annual quotas, visa issuance, and flight routing.
Indonesia's Hajj and Umrah affairs were previously under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. In response to the needs of over 200,000 Hajj pilgrims and millions of Umrah believers annually, the government decided last year to unify authority and establish an independent ministry. This ministry is dedicated to managing the world's largest religious travel affairs, solving issues such as queue quota allocation, logistics coordination, and the deployment of medical resources in the holy cities.
Indonesia's Muslim population accounts for 80% of the total population, exceeding 200 million people. Although the Saudi government issues about 220,000 quotas annually, the average waiting time for the public is still decades. Viewed as a supreme honor, many people need to save up years in advance to realize their dream. The long wait has led to an aging demographic structure of pilgrims. This year, the Indonesian government has specifically launched an "Elderly-Friendly" program, dispatching a large number of medical and professional counseling personnel with the groups to cope with the extreme heat and physical challenges in Saudi Arabia.
The "Kompas" daily reported today that the Indonesian Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, emphasized to the 200 personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia to assist with the Hajj that the Hajj service is a "sacred mission." He demanded that personnel maintain patience and empathy when facing service pressure, avoiding any behavior that could harm the believers' spirits.
Irfan pointed out that the stationed personnel represent the national image and must demonstrate professional competence, taking the initiative at any time to assist anxious or lost elderly believers to ensure perfect service quality. (Editor: Chen Huiping) 1150424
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According to a report by Indonesia's national news agency Antara, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated yesterday that President Prabowo Subianto highly values the rights and interests of the pilgrims and has instructed relevant units to ensure all service facilities are ready, demonstrating the best support from medical care and transportation to accommodation.
As explained by the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Every Muslim with sufficient financial and physical capability must travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for Hajj at least once in their lifetime. By circumambulating the "Kaaba" at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and gathering for prayer at Mount Arafat, believers commemorate the acts of faith of the Prophet and Friend of Allah, Ibrahim, and his family, embodying human equality and universal brotherhood in uniform attire.
To ensure the smooth progress of the large-scale annual Hajj activities, the Saudi Arabian government and Indonesia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah have established a close high-level coordination mechanism. They regularly sign Hajj agreements every year to conduct detailed consultations on annual quotas, visa issuance, and flight routing.
Indonesia's Hajj and Umrah affairs were previously under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. In response to the needs of over 200,000 Hajj pilgrims and millions of Umrah believers annually, the government decided last year to unify authority and establish an independent ministry. This ministry is dedicated to managing the world's largest religious travel affairs, solving issues such as queue quota allocation, logistics coordination, and the deployment of medical resources in the holy cities.
Indonesia's Muslim population accounts for 80% of the total population, exceeding 200 million people. Although the Saudi government issues about 220,000 quotas annually, the average waiting time for the public is still decades. Viewed as a supreme honor, many people need to save up years in advance to realize their dream. The long wait has led to an aging demographic structure of pilgrims. This year, the Indonesian government has specifically launched an "Elderly-Friendly" program, dispatching a large number of medical and professional counseling personnel with the groups to cope with the extreme heat and physical challenges in Saudi Arabia.
The "Kompas" daily reported today that the Indonesian Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, emphasized to the 200 personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia to assist with the Hajj that the Hajj service is a "sacred mission." He demanded that personnel maintain patience and empathy when facing service pressure, avoiding any behavior that could harm the believers' spirits.
Irfan pointed out that the stationed personnel represent the national image and must demonstrate professional competence, taking the initiative at any time to assist anxious or lost elderly believers to ensure perfect service quality. (Editor: Chen Huiping) 1150424
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The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.