Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has announced the formation of an independent Hajj and Umrah Agency, separate from the Religious Affairs Ministry.

Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, the newly appointed Head of the Hajj and Umrah Agency, shared this update following the inauguration of five heads of special agencies and six deputy heads at the State Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday.

"The President hopes that by next year, we can operate independently as a Hajj organizing body. There are many expectations from him regarding the implementation of Hajj services," Irfan said.

To fulfill Prabowo’s vision for enhanced Hajj and Umrah services, Irfan outlined two main missions: ensuring the safe departure of all pilgrims and providing comfort during their worship in the Holy Land.

"The President hopes that Indonesia will have its own Hajj village in the Holy Land, allowing all activities for Indonesian Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to be localized in one place," he added.

Regarding the agency's goal of ensuring safe travel, Irfan emphasized that they would compile evaluations from previous Hajj and Umrah seasons.

"After each Hajj season, there is always an evaluation from the ministry's team. We must improve further to ensure a more comfortable and safer experience for the pilgrims," he explained.

While this year will still see collaboration with the Directorate of Hajj and Umrah under the Religious Affairs Ministry, Irfan aims for the agency to complete its transition to independence by 2026.

This year, approximately 234 Indonesian pilgrims died, a decrease from 750 last year. Among them, 40 passed away during peak rituals at Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina from June 15-16. At least 1,081 pilgrims from various countries died during the same phase, with extreme heat cited as the main cause, according to AFP.

The Hajj saw 213,300 Indonesian pilgrims from 553 flight groups across the country.

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