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Short waiting list lures Indonesians to go on haj via Philippines
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Operating illegally: One travel agent in Makassar, South Sulawesi, that has dispatched haj pilgrims currently being detained for alleged immigration violations by Philippine authorities. (thejakartapost.com/Andi Hajramurni)
T
he alleged haj passport scam case implicating 177 Indonesian haj pilgrims has given a crucial message to the government to immediately improve the quality of haj services in the country.
Amriadi, 30, the husband of Rosdiana, one of 177 Indonesians detained by Philippine authorities for using fake passports, claimed his wife was attracted to go on the haj via Manila, as the haj waiting list in the country is not as long as in Indonesia.
The resident of Ujungpero village, Sabbangparu district, Wajo regency, South Sulawesi, further said his wife departed for Mecca, Saudi Arabia, through Aulad Amin, a travel agent popular with its experience to dispatch Indonesian haj pilgrims via the Philippines.
Amriadi said it might take several years for his wife to go on the haj if she used the regular procedures provided by the Indonesian government. That was why he agreed to pay Rp 135 million (US$10,192) to Aulad Amin to facilitate her wife’s haj departure via Manila.
“Last year, one of our family members went on the haj via the Philippines, facilitated by Aulad Amin. That’s why my wife also used this travel agent,” said Amriadi.
He further said Rosdiana registered her haj pilgrimage at the travel agent in January and immediately got a confirmation on her departure. “In May, she was taken to the Philippines by the travel agent’s officials who said it was for the purpose of processing her haj departure documents,” said Amriadi, who paid the extremely expensive haj fee from his agriculture harvests.
Around 50 percent of the 177 Indonesians detained for using fake Philippine documents are from South Sulawesi. They mostly registered their haj pilgrimage via illegal travel agents but they were not aware of it.
The number of registered haj pilgrims in South Sulawesi have reached more than 169,000, creating a lengthy waiting list of between 17 to 40 years. (ebf)
