“Mr. President has once again raised the matter of reducing Hajj costs. We are currently calculating the figures,” BP Haji expert staff member Ichsan Marsha stated in Padang City, West Sumatra, on Saturday.
He emphasized that the president had called for efforts to make the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage more affordable than this year’s.
In this context, he highlighted that BP Haji is focusing on reviewing cost components while monitoring policy developments in Saudi Arabia, which may directly impact Hajj expenses for Indonesians.
He remarked that the agency would also consult the House of Representatives (DPR) to find the best solution.
“We cannot yet disclose the cost range, as we still need to discuss this matter with the DPR,” Marsha stated while assuring the public that the government will soon release the new figures.
Earlier, on May 4, President Prabowo instructed Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar and BP Haji Head Mochamad Irfan Yusuf to further lower Indonesia’s Hajj costs.
“I am not yet satisfied with the current costs. We must strive for the best possible figure. If possible, let us make our Hajj expenses lower than Malaysia’s,” he remarked during the inauguration of the Special Hajj and Umrah Terminal at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, Banten.
Prabowo emphasized that his administration is working to improve budget efficiency to make Hajj more affordable for Indonesian citizens.
This year, the government and the DPR agreed to reduce the Hajj organization cost from Rp93.4 million (approximately US$5,600) in 2024 to Rp89.4 million (approximately US$5,300).
As a result, the amount paid by individual pilgrims dropped slightly to Rp55.43 million (US$3,300) from last year’s Rp56.04 million (approximately US$3,400).
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Translator: Muhammad Z, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Arie Novarina
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