REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Member house representative, Iskan Qolba Lubis, rejects the government's proposal to raise the Cost of Hajj Pilgrimage (BPIH) to 1445 Hijriah/2024 AD. He assessed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs's proposal for the cost of Hajj to average Rp 105 million as illogical.

This Politician of PKS saw the government's proposed increase in Hajj expenses as unreasonable. In fact, it is proposed simply without regard to the economic aspects of the wider community.

“We rejected such a crazy rise because it didn't pay attention to the mood of the community now. It's still El Nino and rice prices that are rising and I don't think it's natural,” Iskan said on Thursday (16/11).

Iskan stressed that the implementation of Hajj 1444 H/2023 A.D. with a Hajj cost of Rp 90 million alone has made people complain. In fact, referring to the US dollar exchange rate, the increase in the cost of the hajj should be only three percent.

He argued that the increase made by the government last year was already very high. Moreover, if you look at the component of the increase, it is only because of the US dollar, which is about three percent, but the increase is almost 15 percent.

Therefore, Iskan felt, the proposal to increase the cost of Hajj last year alone was actually not feasible. In addition, he reminded that the high cost of Hajj is not due to the increase in prices in the market.

But, Iskan continued, it is likely because there are dependents on the cost of delaying the hajj due to the pandemic that BPIH must cover. Under these conditions, the PKS stated that it rejected the Ministry's proposal to raise the cost of Hajj to Rp 105 million.

“It's not logical in the short time the rise is high,” Iskan said.

House of Parliament deputy chairman, Hidayat Nur Wahid saw that the government's proposal was disproportionate and would be very burdensome to potential pilgrims. Which, it's been waiting for such a long hajj queue.

Evidently, on the implementation of Hajj 2023 alone with a 15 percent increase that is not as big as proposed now. Many potential Hajj worshippers cannot pay off the shortfall. In fact, they already meet the category of istithaah.

“With so many public denials, it is expected that house of representatives will criticize him or reject him by being able to again lower the cost while discussing details with the government,” Hidayat said.

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