Ministry of Hajj and Umrah strengthens data verification and enforcement

The Indonesian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is intensifying efforts to improve pilgrimage management through stricter data verification and enforcement against illegal travel providers.

In Gorontalo, regional officials are prioritizing the acceleration of regular Hajj pilgrim data verification. Mansur Basir, Head of the Gorontalo Regional Office, emphasized that accurate data is essential for service preparation and health monitoring. Digitalization is being utilized to allow for earlier verification processes, which helps prevent data manipulation and ensures more organized service delivery.

Simultaneously, the Ministry has pledged to take firm action against illegal Umrah travel organizers. This follows an incident at Soekarno-Hatta Airport where 33 pilgrims were unable to depart because their visas were not issued. The group was reportedly using the services of Alisha Barda Wisata (ABW), an agency suspected of operating without a permit. To protect the pilgrims, the Ministry coordinated their transfer to PT Wal Mahabbul Arafah, a licensed provider, to ensure their rights and travel plans were fulfilled.