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Indonesia sees off first batch of haj pilgrims
Indonesia kicked off the haj season on Tuesday by seeing off 4,459 out of 168,800 of the country’s haj pilgrims, said Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Saifuddin, as reported by tribunnews.com on Tuesday.
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Two haj pilgrims wave their hands from a bus transporting them from a haj dormitory in Medan, North Sumatra to an airport in the city. (Antara/Septianda Perdana)
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ndonesia kicked off the haj season on Tuesday by seeing off 4,459 out of 168,800 of the country’s haj pilgrims, said Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Saifuddin, as reported by tribunnews.com on Tuesday.
“Eleven flights will take the pilgrims from nine airports from across the country,” said Lukman.
He said the pilgrims hailed from Bekasi, Jakarta, Medan, Padang, Batam, Surakarta, Mataram, Surabaya, Makassar and Lombok.
The first plane carrying 393 pilgrims will depart from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta, he said at the haj dormitory in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta.
Lukman led the farewell ceremony at the dormitory that was also attended by Health Minister Nila Moeloek and Transportation Minister Budi Karya.
Home to the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia is the country with the largest number of haj pilgrims. There is a 15-20 year haj waiting list in Indonesia. (bbn)
