Prabowo Pushes Higher Hajj Service Standards for 2027

RRI.CO.ID, Hambalang - President Prabowo Subianto is pushing for a better hajj service standards for 2027. This was revealed during his meeting on 2026 hajj operation evaluation with the Minister and Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, along with leaders and members of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, at his private residence in Hambalang on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

As quoted from the president's official website, Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, stated that the 2026 Hajj implementation was considered successful despite several areas still requiring refinement. He explained that coordination between the government and the parliamentary Hajj Supervisory Team enabled operational challenges to be addressed quickly while maintaining service quality for pilgrims.

He said the government received positive recognition during the meeting for this year’s implementation. “I was very pleased because the President expressed appreciation for this year’s Hajj management,” he said.

According to him, although the ministry only began operating in September 2025 while preparations from the Saudi government had started earlier, various stages of readiness were successfully accelerated. He highlighted progress including faster visa issuance and earlier distribution of Nusuk (smart cards for hajj pilgrims) arrangements before departure.

The government also introduced a multiyear service contract model with providers to strengthen future operational consistency. This approach is expected to improve service quality while giving partners greater certainty to invest in facilities for Indonesian pilgrims.

During the meeting, President Prabowo delivered several strategic directions aimed at improving the 2027 pilgrimage experience. These included preparing food services earlier, upgrading accommodation quality, and ensuring better readiness across supporting facilities.

Another issue receiving strong presidential attention was the long-term development of the Hajj Village concept. Irfan further said initiative is expected to improve service standards while creating opportunities to reduce pilgrimage costs for Indonesian citizens.

President Prabowo also affirmed shortening the waiting period for future departures, despite improvements already being recorded in regions previously experiencing extremely long queues. Irfan explained that although some areas had reduced waiting periods substantially, the president encouraged the government and parliament to continue pursuing more effective solutions for faster access to Hajj services.