REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Minister of Religious Affairs, Suryadharma Ali, is on a visit to Saudi Arabia from May 1 to May 11 to discuss with Saudi counterpart preparations for this year`s hajj pilgrimage season. The minister was accompanied by the secretary general of the Religious Affairs Ministry, the Ministry`s Spokesman Zubaidi said on Friday.

On his visit to the Holly Land, Minister Suryadharma Ali is taking a number of proposals to the Saudi government which include an increase in Indonesian hajj quota by 20,000 pilgrims to 231,000 pilgrims this year.

The minister will also ask for an increase of time slot from 11 to 15 slots per day and an increase in the number of arrival and departure gates at Saudi airport for Indonesia`s Garuda aircraft. "The minister will also propose for speed process of visa requests through the Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry`s website so that Indonesia`s hajj pilgrims` visas could be processed speedily," Zubaidi said.

The other things that the minister will discuss with the Saudi officials included accommodating facilities in Mecca, transportation in the city and food for Indonesian hajj pilgrims.

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