October 28, 2025 | 07:23 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, stated that the rejection from business associations against the legalization of independent Umrah is a normal thing. However, according to Dahnil, the legalization of independent Umrah is unavoidable as regulated in Law Number 14 of 2025 concerning the Organization of Hajj and Umrah.
He also responded to the business associations' plan to challenge the legal basis of independent Umrah at the Constitutional Court. "I think their concern is justified. Why is it justified? Because they are worried about losing pilgrims," Dahnil said at the Complex of the People's Consultative Assembly, Jakarta, on Monday, 27th October 2025.
Nevertheless, Dahnil asked entrepreneurs to keep updated on policies, especially those established based on conditions in Saudi Arabia. According to him, the Saudi Arabian government had opened opportunities for independent Umrah even before the rules were included in the revision of Law Number 14 of 2025.
Dahnil stated that the legalization of independent Umrah is the government's decision to protect the rights of pilgrims and to adjust it to Saudi regulations. He emphasized that the law accommodates independent Umrah to protect them.
One of the impacts of this legalization, he said, is that anyone can register for independent Umrah through digital identification cards. He urged Umrah service providers or PPIUs to keep up with the times.
"Young people like all of you, including me as a young person, can manage the process themselves, and it cannot be stopped," the Gerindra Party politician said.
In reflection of this, Dahnil conveyed that the duty of Hajj and Umrah travel entrepreneurs is to improve services to remain competitive. With the market competition being very open, he admitted that the government is trying to anticipate the risks of independent Umrah implementation.
"We will tighten controls to prevent any moral hazard," Dahnil said. He then gave an example, such as in Law Number 14 of 2025 which stipulates that those without PPIU permits are prohibited from mobilizing others to perform Umrah together.
Dahnil referred to this action as a criminal offense. However, by anticipating through this rule, he believed the government has sought to protect pilgrims from the early stages.
Prior to this, the Chairman of the Association of Amanah Umrah and Hajj of the Republic of Indonesia (Ashuri), Nur Faizin, expressed objections to the legalization of independent Umrah as regulated in Law Number 14 of 2025 concerning the Organization of Hajj and Umrah. He also considered challenging certain articles of the law at the Constitutional Court.
"We, along with 13 other associations, are currently discussing this (a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court)," Nur Faizin said when contacted on Monday, 27th October 2025.
Nur Faizin has not yet detailed which associations intend to challenge the cancellation of the independent Umrah policy. According to him, independent Umrah has many negative aspects if directly implemented without mature derivative regulations. He also mentioned several predicted negative impacts that may arise from the legalization of independent Umrah.
First, he saw the potential for abuse of the independent Umrah opportunity, which could be used by Indonesian citizens to freely enter Arabia with the intention of working. Second, he highlighted the lack of safety and protection guarantees for independent Umrah pilgrims.
Third, he expressed concerns about the impact of independent Umrah on the sustainability of Hajj service provider businesses (PPIU). "Gradually, the legalization of independent Umrah will destroy the Hajj ecosystem, where many people depend on it," he said.
He understood that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah made that decision based on Saudi policy. However, he stated that the Indonesian government should not necessarily respond to the Saudi policy regulating independent Umrah.
He hoped that the government would have its own stance by continuing to enforce the Umrah service policy through PPIUs.
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