REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TANGERANG -- A total of 388 would-be pilgrims who entered the first wave of Jakarta Embarkation Pondok Gede, were transported to the Holy Land of Mecca through Terminal 2 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, Banten on Sunday.

Of the hundreds of pilgrims who entered the first wave of pilgrims from Indonesia to Tanah Cusi, 388 came from Jakarta with a predominance of elderly (elderly) worshippers.

At the time of departure, would-be Hajj worshippers were screened through Saudi Arabia's immigration fast track.

The departure of 388 candidates for Hajj, was also taken directly by the Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas accompanied by the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Indonesia Sheikh Faisal Abdullah Al Amudi.

Menag Yaqut was observed greeting worshippers in the departure lounge and reviewing the fast track room.

“Tonight with the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to see how the fast track process is at Soetta Airport, and it seems that the time is no more than 2 minutes so it is very fast. This greatly helps the migration process of worshippers when they arrive in Saudi,” Yaqut said after reviewing the departure of the potential pilgrims through Terminal 2 of Soetta Airport in Tangerang on Sunday.

According to him, this year's Hajj worshippers were the most numerous than the previous year. The worshipers are the chosen ones to go to Baitullah, to fulfill the fifth Pillar of Islam, which is to worship the Hajj.

He added that for the first departure of the Indonesian hajj today came from four regions, among them Jakarta with 388 worshippers, West Java 870 worshippers, Banten 435 worshippers, and Lampung 388 worshippers divided by five departures.

“Now (this year) the number of worshippers is 8,700 worshippers with 22 departures. And God willing for the facilities from us are ready, yesterday I checked there,” he said.

Yaqut expressed appreciation to the Government of Saudi Arabia for providing and adding fast track services for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims. Starting this year, he added, fast track will be implemented at Juanda Airport Surabaya, and Adi Soemarmo Surakarta.

“This is a joint concern of the Government of Indonesia and the Government of Saudi Arabia in facilitating the congregation. On behalf of the Indonesian government, I would like to thank the Government of Saudi Arabia for providing additional fast track facilities, in addition to Jakarta, also in Solo and Surabaya,” he said.

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