Ministry of Hajj and Umrah abolishes queue replacement mechanism

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has abolished the ‘lunas tunda ganti’ mechanism within special Hajj services. This policy change aims to prevent the manipulation of pilgrimage queues and ensure that departures strictly follow the established portion number sequence.

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak stated that the decision followed an evaluation of special Hajj governance. The ministry discovered loopholes where certain parties, specifically Special Hajj Service Organizers (PIHK), were allegedly replacing pilgrims who canceled or postponed their trips with others who did not hold the correct sequence number.

This reform is part of a broader effort to improve transparency, fairness, and accountability in quota management. The move follows investigations into corruption cases involving Hajj quotas, where the previous mechanism was identified as a vulnerability used by certain officials and travel agencies to bypass official waiting lists through bribery or high fees.