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Ministry begins internal probing in haj scam case
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Haj pilgrims from Sumenep, Madura, East Java, board aircraft at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, on Aug.9. (thejakartapost.com/Wahyoe Boediwardhana)
T
he Religious Affairs Ministry, which is responsible for organizing the haj pilgrimage and umroh (minor haj) for Muslims in the country, has begun investigating the possible involvement of a rogue ministry official in a scam case related to the 177 Indonesian pilgrims detained by immigration officials in the Philippines.
"We have dispatched teams to the regions, as well as to the Philippines, to seek more and accurate information," Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin told reporters on Friday, adding that investigations into the allegations had begun as soon as the ministry became aware from reports by the media this week of an official who is suspected to be affiliated to an illegal travel operator.
The process of verification and identification is still ongoing with results expected over the next few days, he said, declining to give further details on the internal investigation.
He reiterated that none of the eight companies suspected in the case were listed as official travel operators by the government. The companies did not have permits to conduct umroh or haj pilgrimages, he continued, adding that the ministry was cooperating with the National Police to pursue legal action.
Indonesia is home to the world's largest Muslim population, with some would-be pilgrims experiencing long waiting lists spanning up to a decade due to the limited haj quota to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, each year. (rin)
