REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- After conducting special investigation, Ombudsman assessed, umrah management in Indonesia has not protected the congregation. It could be seen in the case of umrah scam" href="http://en.republika.co.id/berita/en/islam-in-archipelago/17/09/29/ox03i2414-police-to-summon-two-artists-in-first-travel-case" target="_blank">First Travel umrah scam where 35,000 customers failed to be transported the Holy Land.
"Ombudsman has supervise implementation of umrah services and we find several things from the investigation," said Commisioner of Ombudsman Ahmad Su'aedy, Wednesday (October 4).
Ahmad said, First Travel case is an example of government neglectance in organizing umrah. He also called it as a form of maladministration.
Ahmad revealed Ministry of Religious Affairs did not have data base of umrah pilgrims. Umrah pilgrims were not recorded, either those who have done the umrah pilgrim or those who will be departed to Holy Land.
The data is owned by umrah travel agencies and they are not willing to give data to the government.
"It hinders the ministry efforts to control the organizing of umrah," Ahmad explained.
Furthermore, Ombudsman noted the number of travel agencies recorded by Ministry of Religious Affairs is different with the number recorded by Jakarta provincial government's one stop service center.
Only 83 (21 percent) of 387 umrah travel agencies in Jakarta registered at Ministry of Religious Affairs have the same documentation in the Jakarta provincial government's one stop service center.
Meanwhile, there were 304 umrah travel agencies registered in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, but not listed in the DKI Jakarta Capital Investment Department.
In addition, there were 100 umrah travel agencies registered in Jakarta Capital Investment Department but not recorded in the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Ahmad said, based on the results of coordination with Jakarta provincial government's one stop service center in adjustment to 83 umrah travel agencies registered with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ombudsman noted
39 (47 percent) umrah travel agencies have attach their tax identification number (NPWP) as requirements in applying permit on travel bureau / umrah travel agency.
On the other hand, there were 14 (17 percent) umrah travel agencies who did not attach NPWP in the processing the permit. And, 30 (36 percent) umrah travel agencies were unregistered.
Ahmad explained the investigation also revealed the recruitment pattern of Umrah pilgrims that potentially amount to problems. He said many pilgrims were recruited by clerics or public figures who collaborated with umrah travel agencies. However, in organizing umrah, travel agencies did not directly involved.
"The agencies only provide the institutional legality facility to dispatch pilgrims," Ahmad added.
Ombudsman asserted, Ministry of Religious Affairs must directly control the implementation of umrah. The ministry also needed to coordinate related data of pilgrims with umrah travel agencies.
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