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ouse of Representatives (DPR) members have called for an end to the Religious Affairs Ministry’s management of the national haj program, saying that an independent body should be set up to handle the annual pilgrimage.

The legislators said that private companies should be given roles in the management.

“The haj is a very complicated activity, therefore it needs professionals to handle it,” said Zulkarnaen Jabar, a member of the House’s Commission VIII overseeing religious and social affairs, during a hearing for a revision of the 2008 Haj Pilgrimage Management Law on Wednesday.

“We don’t expect civil servants from the ministry to handle this. We all know the problems surrounding the haj repeat every year,” he said, referring to chaotic flight schedules and poor accommodation.

Zulkarnaen said the management of haj should be pulled from the ministry and given to an independent body consisting of professionals.

Fellow legislator Muhammad Oheo Sinapoy of the Golkar Party said the private sector would offer better service in managing the haj due to their expertise.

“The haj pilgrimage management has nothing to do with religion. Therefore we don’t need Islamic graduates to do it. We need professionals with expertise in mass transportation, hotel management and food services,” he said.

Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) leader Amidhan, who attended the hearing, said the management of the haj should not be entirely handed over to private companies. “The government should be given the authority to control it,” he said.

However, some House members said they did not think the management of haj should be fully privatized.

“We don’t propose the privatization. [But ] involving private sectors in this annual service is a must; not only to provide better services but also to share the authority of the management to make it transparent,” House member H.M Busro said.

Quoting a report from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), he added that the Religious Affairs Ministry’s “authority” had opened the door for its officials to embezzle money from the program.

“The ministry has closed its door to allowing outsiders to monitor the haj’s management because it has the power to regulate as well as to operate it. The haj management involves a huge amount of money. Therefore, it is prone to corruption especially when there is only one body in charge,” he said.

During the hearing, House members also raised the issue of bank interest generated by the Rp 30 trillion in the ministry’s bank account. The bank interest from that fund is estimated to reach Rp 1.6 trillion per month.

“What happens to the bank interest?” Busro said.

Last year, the KPK reported the Religious Affairs Ministry, along with the then National Education Ministry and the Home Ministry to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for poor budget management.

The antigraft body identified 48 weaknesses in the ministry’s management of the haj, including their management of Rp 16 trillion (US$1,776 million) in deposits paid by 700,000 people on the haj waiting list.

The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) also cited alleged misuse of a fund of Rp 7.88 trillion approved by Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali to finance social aid programs.

Some, including Religious Affairs Deputy Minister Nasaruddin Umar, have questioned the necessity to involve the private sector in the haj management.

Nasaruddin was strongly against the plan to revise the haj law, arguing that the management involved huge risks but the ministry was experienced in handling them.

Slamet Effendi Yusuf of the MUI called on the government to decide wisely because handing the management to the private sector would open the door for corruption.

“I’m afraid that the religious values of the pilgrimage will be missing if private companies are involved in the management. It will be merely about money. Therefore, please just think carefully,” he said.