Acehnese Must Wait 11 Years To Perform Hajj

Banda Aceh, TAG – The Moslem people in Indonesia Aceh province must wait for almost 11 years to perform Hajj pilgrimage because the number of would-be Hajj pilgrims in the waiting list has reached 46,468 people.

"Acehnese who wish to perform the Hajj need to wait until 11 years," Ibnu Sa’dan, the provincial religious affairs office spokesman said. The waiting list of the would-be hajj pilgrims in the stauchly Moslem province has increased in the last few year.

Sa’dan added the central government set the would-be hajj pilgrims quota for Aceh at as many as 3,924 people or around one percent of the provincial total population.

The number of would-be hajj pilgrims in the waiting list will continue to rise if the provincial quota is not increased, he said, adding that central government will raise the quota for the 2012 hajj season in Aceh province that has 4.6 million people.

The provincial religious affairs office will restrict the number of those who have performed the Hajj pilgrim from participating in the pilgrimage again.

"This is part of efforts to reduce the people in the waiting list," he said, adding that in 2011 Aceh province sent 4,803 would-be hajj pilgrims in 14 batches.

All of them were flown from Sultan Iskandar Muda international airport in Aceh Besar district’s Blang Bintang sub-district.[]