Vice President Affirms Hajj Subsidy Must Be Rational

Depok, wapresri.go.id – The Vice President KH Ma’ruf Amin (Vice President) assessed that the current subsidy for the implementation of Hajj issued by the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) was irrational because the amount was too large. For this reason, he asked for the subsidy for the hajj funds given to the pilgrims, which amounted to 60% of the total cost of hajj, to be rationalized.

“The report that I received (subsidy) of hajj funds from BPKH which gave it was 60% and if it was left unchecked it would erode (BPKH’s finances),” explained the Vice President when giving a press statement after attending the 16th Anniversary of the Riyadhul Jannah and Haul Akbar Dhikr Assembly. The late Habib Umar Bin Hood Alatas at the Syech Muhammad Yusuf Mosque, Margonda Raya, Depok, Saturday (20/08/2022).

This rationalization effort, said the Vice President, must be carried out in order to maintain the financial health of BPKH, so that in the future it could continue to provide subsidies.

“This must not be until later this subsidy does not continue, it is not sustainable. In order for this to continue, it must be rationalized, the subsidy must be (rationalized),” he said.

The provision of this subsidy, continued the Vice President, its function was to ease the burden on the pilgrims. However, he hopes that this subsidy would not cause problems in the future.

“Indeed, people who make pilgrimages are people who can afford it, but there is indeed a management of funds to ease it. But don’t let it cause problems later in the day,” he pleaded.

Therefore, the Vice President hopes that the hajj subsidy provided by BPKH would be reviewed in order to maintain its sustainability in the future.

“So it is necessary to review the amount of subsidies given, so that the subsidies continue,” he said.

Previously, regarding the issue of hajj subsidies, the Vice President had also given direct directions to the ranks of the Implementing Body and the Supervisory Board of BPKH in a meeting at the Vice President’s Official Residence, Jl. Diponegoro No. 2, Central Jakarta, on Monday morning (15/08/2022).

According to the spokesman for the Vice President Masduki Baidlowi, in this meeting, the Vice President asked that the management of the future hajj organization to be more efficient.

“Because the main problem at this time, the cost of subsidized hajj is already very large. Namely, that people for Hajj currently pay around 40 million rupiah, but the total cost of hajj is around 100 million rupiah,” explained Masduki.

“Although it does require regulatory changes, the Vice President said (adjustment of hajj subsidies) must be done,” he added.

Also accompanying the Vice President at this press conference, the Leader of the Riyadhul Jannah Dhikr Council, Habib Abu Bakar bin Salim bin Umar Alatas. (DMA-BPMI Setwapres)