INDOPOSCO.ID — Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf has called for improvements to the capacity of tents designated for Indonesian pilgrims in Arafah. The move follows his direct inspection of service readiness ahead of the peak phase of the Hajj pilgrimage in Armuzna.
“We want to ensure that all Indonesian pilgrims receive proper and comfortable accommodation during the peak of Hajj. Therefore, all findings from today’s inspection will be followed up immediately,” Irfan Yusuf said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday (May 22, 2026).
Field inspections revealed capacity discrepancies in several tents. In one case, a tent intended to accommodate 350 pilgrims was found to have only 332 available spaces, potentially causing shortages of resting areas if similar conditions occur at multiple locations.
He stressed that the government does not want a repeat of last year’s situation, when limited tent capacity affected services for pilgrims.
“We will calculate everything manually and in detail. No pilgrim should be left without a place,” Irfan Yusuf stated.
In addition to Arafah, similar inspections will also be carried out in Mina, where pilgrims are scheduled to stay for a longer period. The Indonesian Hajj Organizing Committee (PPIH) has therefore been instructed to resolve all existing shortcomings within the next few days.
On the same occasion, he also emphasized that all arrangements regarding tents, pilgrim group allocations, and pilgrim movements are fully under the authority of the PPIH.
Meanwhile, Hajj and Umrah Guidance Groups (KBIHU) have been instructed to stop making independent arrangements on the ground.
“All arrangements will be centrally managed by the PPIH so that services are more orderly and measurable,” he added. (dan)
