Not like previous years, this year Jakarta hajj pilgrims will not be getting cater and transportation facilities during their stay in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The reason behind it is because there is no reply from the Religious Ministry on that special facilities request. Whereas, Jakarta Provincial Government has allocated budget for those special facilities for Jakarta hajj pilgrims.

Yes, this year Jakarta hajj pilgrims will not be getting cater and transportation facilities

“Yes, this year Jakarta hajj pilgrims will not be getting cater and transportation facilities,” stated Head of Jakarta Education and Mental Spiritual Bureau, Budi Utomo, Saturday (8/30).

According to Utomo, cater and transportation facilities have been provided for Jakarta hajj pilgrims since five years ago. For this year, the budget for it has been allocated in the 2014 City Budget (APBD) and also has been approved by Jakarta Parliament (DPRD). But when the APBD was handed over to Home Affairs Ministry, that budget was given special note.

“We then sent letter to Religious Ministry, so Jakarta hajj pilgrims could still get those special facilities. But since there is no reply, we return the budget,” he said.

Utomo explained that the reason why Religious Ministry does not give permit for special facilities is because all hajj pilgrims have got all of those facilities. However, the facilities will be given when they are in Medina only. When they are in Mecca, hajj pilgrims will only be getting cash money to buy food.

“We serve buffet, so the pilgrims do not need to look for food. Meanwhile, Religious Ministry only gives cash money, so the pilgrims must look for food themselves,” he uttered.

This year, Jakarta gets hajj pilgrim quota of 5,668 people who will be departed in 13 batches.

“The first batch will depart on September 1, 2014, from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport,” told Utomo.