TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Ministry of Religion and the People’s Representative Council (DPR) agree on the Cost of Organizing the Hajj Pilgrimage (BPIH) or Hajj Fees 2023 M / 1444 H of IDR 90,050,637.26 or decreased from the previous proposal of IDR 98,893,909. Of this amount, prospective pilgrims must pay the Hajj Pilgrimage Travel Fee (Bipih) of IDR 49,812,700 or down from the previous Bipih proposal of IDR 69,193,733.60.
The determination of BPIH and Bipih was carried out in a meeting between the Hajj budget committee Ministry of Religion and the DPR’s Commission VIII at the DPR RI building tonight. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII DPR, Marwan Dasopang
“We agree that the BPIH for regular pilgrims in 2023 is Rp. 90,050,637.26,” said Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas in the meeting as broadcast on Parliament TV, Wednesday, 15 February 2023.
BPKH disbursed Rp 8 trillion in subsidies
By comparison BPIH and the stipulated Bipih, meaning that each pilgrim will receive a subsidy on the costs of the pilgrimage from the value of the benefits managed by the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) of IDR 40,237,937 or 44.7 percent. This value is far greater than before which was only around IDR 30 million or 30 percent.
With this amount, BPKH will disburse Rp. 8 trillion in benefits for the pilgrimage this year.
“Of course we are grateful that Bipih is greater than the value of the benefits, even though the composition is not ideal. I believe this is the best deal we can achieve this year and the congregation can get the best scheme too,” said Yaqut.
BPKH is worried that the value of the benefits will run out before 2027
Previously, BPKH Head Fadlul Imansyah said that the increase in the cost of the 2023 Hajj through a change in the percentage of subsidies needed to be done so that the value of the benefits of the waiting pilgrims was not eroded. According to Fadlul, if the old subsidy scheme is continued for this year’s haj group, it is feared that the entire value of the congregation’s benefits will be eroded before 2027.
Last year, the government used the 41:59 scheme, that is, 41 percent of the costs were borne by the congregation as Bipih and 59 percent was subsidized using the value of the benefits. In 2023, it was proposed to change the proportion to 70:30.
“If we do the math, (if it is set) below 70:30, the worry will erode the value of the benefits of pilgrims who will depart next year,” said Fadlul at the Borobudur Hotel, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, January 24, 2023.
Fadlul explained, BPKH could only provide a maximum subsidy of IDR 30 million per pilgrim. If using the percentage subsidy scheme in 2022, Fadlul said the value of the subsidies given would swell to two times.
This can result in the value of the benefits belonging to the waiting congregation being used up. Consequently, the congregation waiting can wait for a later departure time because the funds have been used by the departing congregation.
Therefore, Fadlul said the proposal for a subsidy scheme for the 2023 Hajj costs by the Ministry of Religion of 70:30 was considered BPKH it’s right
“So BPKH’s finances are fine. But if we make that (subsidy percentage) the same as last year, it’s us who is wrong. We will meet at one point for haj pilgrimage twice a year in 2027. It is true that there is a benefit value of IDR 20 trillion that has accumulated, but it will be eroded and it won’t be until 2027,” said Fadlul.
