Political
and economic interests
in
the management of haj
Muhammad As’ad, THE DIRECTOR OF THE A. WAHID
HASYIM LIBRARY
AT THE TEBUIRENG ISLAMIC
BOARDING SCHOOL IN JOMBANG, EAST JAVA
Sumber
: JAKARTA POST, 2 Maret 2012
For years, people have been scrutinizing the
management of the haj, which has been monopolized by the Religious Affairs
Ministry.
There are many things we can mention that relates to the mismanagement of the Islamic pilgrimage. One of them pertains to the food service, as we can remember many pilgrims were starving in 2006 because of the bad catering service.
But there are many other things that have also been mismanaged, including the provision of accommodation and flights.
There is also the issue of corruption, which many believe occurs during this time. We can only imagine the huge amounts of money involved in this business.
Some reports suggest that the deposits from people on the waiting list amount to around US$2.4 billion.
And funnily enough, we don’t know what this money is used for. Is it for the pilgrims’ benefit, or does it end up in the pockets of ministry officials?
Worse than that, no one has the authority to control that account’s uses. From this track record, the ministry has been labeled by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as one the most corrupt government institutions.
It is no wonder that all these problems became the rationale to revise Law No. 13/2008 on the management of the haj. The House has made this revision a priority. However, seeing the huge amounts of money involved in this business, the debate on this issue will likely be fierce.
At least what we can see in the recent comments in the media is that people supportive and oppositional on the issue are giving the best statements to support their arguments.
Naturally, there were two groups involved in this debate. Firstly, there are the people who demand reform by handing over the haj management from the ministry to an independent body, which will directly report to the President. Secondly, there are those who disagree with the idea of reforms.
Those included in the first group are: The Indonesian Haj Brotherhood Association (IPHI) that represents haj title holders and the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW).
The second group consists of several institutions, including the Religious Affairs Ministry, the haj training providers (KBIH), and the executive board of social-political organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
It is interesting to see why NU does not support the establishment of a new body. As the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, it is plausible that most of its followers are disadvantaged when the haj is mismanaged.
However, its cultural ties with the Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali, who has an NU background, has made the organization oppose the establishment of an independent body.
Thus, in the parliament itself, it is not surprising to find the United Development Party (PPP), currently chaired by Suryadharma Ali, is the only party that rejects the proposal.
Others, such as the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party, the People’s Conscience (Hanura) Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Democratic Party, support the idea of creating the new body.
From statements issued by those opposing the establishment of the independent body, we can learn their motives, which are both political and economical.
As the haj business involves billions of rupiah, managing this program will mean great access to its financing system.
It will be a great loss for them if such an independent body is established as it will potentially cut their unaccounted source of income.
As a Muslim who is strongly advised to perform the haj, it is unfortunate to see that some institutions reject the idea to reform its management.
As Indonesia is ranked among the world’s most corrupt countries, there have been high hopes that the management of such religious service is an exception — that it will be free of corruption.
In reality, the management of the haj is not free from such corrupt practices as there are people — including people in the group that oppose the establishment of an independent body — who still think that there are Muslims who can easily be deceived due to their innocence and their willingness to do anything (including paying bribes to ministry officials) in order to achieve their goal to see the Holy Land accomplished.
It is high time that the haj is free from such political and economic motives. As a ministry that deals with religious affairs, the Religious Affairs Ministry should be at the forefront in promoting clean and good governance — starting from the transparent and corruption-free organization of the annual pilgrimage. ●
There are many things we can mention that relates to the mismanagement of the Islamic pilgrimage. One of them pertains to the food service, as we can remember many pilgrims were starving in 2006 because of the bad catering service.
But there are many other things that have also been mismanaged, including the provision of accommodation and flights.
There is also the issue of corruption, which many believe occurs during this time. We can only imagine the huge amounts of money involved in this business.
Some reports suggest that the deposits from people on the waiting list amount to around US$2.4 billion.
And funnily enough, we don’t know what this money is used for. Is it for the pilgrims’ benefit, or does it end up in the pockets of ministry officials?
Worse than that, no one has the authority to control that account’s uses. From this track record, the ministry has been labeled by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as one the most corrupt government institutions.
It is no wonder that all these problems became the rationale to revise Law No. 13/2008 on the management of the haj. The House has made this revision a priority. However, seeing the huge amounts of money involved in this business, the debate on this issue will likely be fierce.
At least what we can see in the recent comments in the media is that people supportive and oppositional on the issue are giving the best statements to support their arguments.
Naturally, there were two groups involved in this debate. Firstly, there are the people who demand reform by handing over the haj management from the ministry to an independent body, which will directly report to the President. Secondly, there are those who disagree with the idea of reforms.
Those included in the first group are: The Indonesian Haj Brotherhood Association (IPHI) that represents haj title holders and the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW).
The second group consists of several institutions, including the Religious Affairs Ministry, the haj training providers (KBIH), and the executive board of social-political organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
It is interesting to see why NU does not support the establishment of a new body. As the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, it is plausible that most of its followers are disadvantaged when the haj is mismanaged.
However, its cultural ties with the Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali, who has an NU background, has made the organization oppose the establishment of an independent body.
Thus, in the parliament itself, it is not surprising to find the United Development Party (PPP), currently chaired by Suryadharma Ali, is the only party that rejects the proposal.
Others, such as the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party, the People’s Conscience (Hanura) Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Democratic Party, support the idea of creating the new body.
From statements issued by those opposing the establishment of the independent body, we can learn their motives, which are both political and economical.
As the haj business involves billions of rupiah, managing this program will mean great access to its financing system.
It will be a great loss for them if such an independent body is established as it will potentially cut their unaccounted source of income.
As a Muslim who is strongly advised to perform the haj, it is unfortunate to see that some institutions reject the idea to reform its management.
As Indonesia is ranked among the world’s most corrupt countries, there have been high hopes that the management of such religious service is an exception — that it will be free of corruption.
In reality, the management of the haj is not free from such corrupt practices as there are people — including people in the group that oppose the establishment of an independent body — who still think that there are Muslims who can easily be deceived due to their innocence and their willingness to do anything (including paying bribes to ministry officials) in order to achieve their goal to see the Holy Land accomplished.
It is high time that the haj is free from such political and economic motives. As a ministry that deals with religious affairs, the Religious Affairs Ministry should be at the forefront in promoting clean and good governance — starting from the transparent and corruption-free organization of the annual pilgrimage. ●
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