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Jakarta Post

106 Indonesian haj pilgrims awaiting return from the Philippines

Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Tue, October 4, 2016

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106 Indonesian haj pilgrims awaiting return from the Philippines Stronger protection – Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (right) and Deputy Minister AM Fachir (left) attend a hearing at the House of Representatives in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Aug. 31. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)

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oreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi confirmed on Tuesday that 106 Indonesian citizens had gone on a hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, by illegally using unused seats of the Philippines’ hajj quota. A process is underway to help them return to Indonesia.

“After a conversation with the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, it can be confirmed that 106 Indonesian hajj pilgrims are currently being housed in the embassy’s facilities,” she told journalists on Tuesday.

The minister further said they are awaiting clearance from local authorities for the return of the Indonesian pilgrims. The embassy’s officials have been preparing necessary travel documents for their departure.

Indonesia and the Philippines have reached an agreement about the legal process concerning the Indonesian pilgrims who went on the hajj using Philippine passports. The Philippine government will ease legal procedures, which will instead be conducted in Indonesia.

Retno said she had began discussing the case with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir on the possibility for Indonesia to share unused seats of hajj quotas with other countries, such as Japan and the Philippines. She highlighted the growing trend of illegal hajj travels as a result of Indonesia's limited hajj quota each year, which has led to a very long waiting list.

"We must first discuss it with Saudi Arabia [...]," said Retno. She said discussions with other countries on technical details, including the amount of hajj seats Indonesia could use, can only begin after Saudi Arabia agreed to the proposal. (ebf)  

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