Kemenhaj reviews 400,000 hajj queue records at risk of invalidity
The data check could hold up about Rp10 triliun in initial hajj deposits while 5.7 million registrants are matched against civil records.
The Hajj and Umrah Ministry is rechecking about 400,000 hajj queue records deemed at risk of being invalid, out of a total 5.7 million prospective pilgrims. Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said the matching will be carried out with the Home Affairs Ministry to verify registrant status, including the possibility that some have died while their initial deposits are still recorded.
The value of funds linked to the problematic data is estimated at Rp10 triliun, assuming an initial deposit of Rp25 juta per person. According to Dahnil, the reconciliation is needed so the government can determine the number of queues that are truly active and the position of prospective hajj funds accurately.
In a meeting with the House of Representatives in Jakarta, he also said his ministry is tracking umrah travel operators that risk defrauding pilgrims. Umrah fund turnover is said to reach around Rp90 triliun per year, with 3 million people departing and an average cost of Rp30 juta.