Jakarta. Indonesia is overhauling the management of its Hajj pilgrimage program, with President Prabowo Subianto backing efforts to shorten lengthy waiting times for pilgrims and ordering a forensic audit of Hajj finances.

Deputy Hajj Minister Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said Monday that Prabowo had instructed the Ministry of Hajj to continue efforts to reduce the time Indonesians must wait to make the pilgrimage.

The longest waiting period recorded since the ministry was established reached 49 years. Changes to the quota calculation formula last year reduced the national average to 26 years, Dahnil said.

But Prabowo considered the waiting period still too long, prompting the ministry to verify and clean up its database of 5.7 million registered pilgrims.

The process found 400,000 invalid records, according to Dahnil.

“After we calculated the actual figures and resolved the issue of the 400,000 invalid records, the actual average waiting period for pilgrims departing this year is only 14 years,” Dahnil said after a limited meeting with Prabowo at the State Palace on Monday.

The government says removing invalid records will provide a more accurate picture of the number of people actually waiting for a Hajj slot.

Prabowo Orders Forensic Audit

Prabowo has also called for greater transparency in the management of Hajj funds overseen by the Hajj Financial Management Agency, or BPKH.

Dahnil said the president had ordered a forensic audit to establish the actual condition of the pilgrimage fund and ensure greater accountability in its management.

“The president wants to know the actual condition of the Hajj finances. There should be no financial engineering practices like those in the case currently being discussed in Malaysia,” Dahnil said, without elaborating on the comparison.

The Ministry of Hajj will coordinate with the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) and other relevant teams to conduct the comprehensive audit, he said.

The move is part of the government's broader effort to reform Hajj and Umrah management, including efforts to prevent cartel practices and improve services for pilgrims.

Indonesia has one of the world's largest Muslim populations and receives the largest Hajj quota of any country.

For the 1447 Hijri pilgrimage season, corresponding to 2026, Indonesia was allocated a quota of 221,000 pilgrims. Pakistan received 179,210 places, while India received 175,025, according to the government.

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