JAKARTA: The Indonesian government has accused Saudi Arabian authorities of denying entry to Mecca to more than 200 Indonesian pilgrims after travel agencies arranged the hajj pilgrimage without obtaining the necessary hajj visas.
Subianto, a senior official at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, said the hajj visa is the primary requirement for pilgrims from around the world to perform the annual religious rite.
“The Saudi Arabian government has banned foreigners with tourist visas from performing the Hajj pilgrimage to ensure the safety and comfort of pilgrims with Hajj visas,” Subianto said in a recent interview.
He acknowledged that despite strict restrictions imposed by the Saudi Arabian government, many Indonesian pilgrims had attempted to perform the rituals without obtaining the necessary visas.
Irresponsible travel agencies continue to take advantage of Indonesian Muslims' lack of understanding of local regulations and arrange Hajj pilgrimages without the proper visas.
Under normal circumstances, Indonesian Muslims must wait years for a spot to perform the pilgrimage – millions have signed up for the government's hajj programme, which has an annual capacity of just over 220,000.
To avoid long waits, wealthy Muslims often hire reputable travel agencies to arrange their pilgrimages, paying two to three times the official government rate.
However, many would-be pilgrims fall victim to unscrupulous agencies who falsely claim they can arrange the pilgrimage on a regular visa.
In one recent case, 203 pilgrims from Sidrap regency, South Sulawesi, were denied entry to Mecca after failing to present Hajj visas.
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