The House of Representatives (DPR) ratified the revision of Law Number 8 of 2019 concerning the Organization of Hajj and Umrah or the revision of the Hajj Law in the fourth plenary session of the DPR's 2025-2026 session on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. In the session, Chairman of Commission VIII Marwan Dasopang stated that the revision of the Hajj Law is based on three main reasons, namely the legal need for the establishment of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, so that the Hajj Pilgrimage Fund Board (BP Haji) has now officially become a ministry.
The second consideration is the need to improve hajj services in terms of transportation, accommodation, and provisions for pilgrims both in the country and in Saudi Arabia. The third is to adapt to technological developments and changes in Saudi policies. "The Indonesian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah will be a one-stop service for all matters related to hajj organization," said Marwan.
According to Marwan, with the ratification of the Hajj Law revision, all hajj infrastructure and resources will be transferred to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Here are the details of the establishment of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah through the revision of the Hajj Law in the DPR.
One-Stop Pilgrimage Services under the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
Marwan emphasized that all pilgrim services will be under one roof under the coordination of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, including decisions on the health eligibility of pilgrims, air transportation, and immigration.
This member of the National Awakening Party (PKB) stated that the final decision on the eligibility for flying or health status will be determined by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, after prior coordination with the Ministry of Health.
"Technically, it still needs to be coordinated with the Ministry of Health, but the decision on health status endorsement or not lies with the Minister of Hajj and Umrah because this decision is a consequence of the working committee and becomes law, so all matters related to hajj services will be under the scope of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, including the budget," said Marwan, as quoted from Antara.
BPKH Does Not Enter the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
Although pilgrim services will be under one roof, Marwan stressed that the Hajj Fund Management Agency (BPKH) will not be included in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. The reason is that the management of hajj funds is better to be the responsibility of a separate agency.
"The BPKH will still be managed by the agency because we do not want the collection, management, and utilization of funds to be under one roof. That could be dangerous. To avoid this, we separate them," he said.
Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Focuses on Pilgrim Health to Regional Coordination
Member of the DPR's Commission VIII Maman Imanul Haq stated that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah will complement the integrated management of hajj and umrah, ranging from guidance, services, to guaranteeing the safety and health of pilgrims.
This institution, which will become the 49th ministry in the era of President Prabowo Subianto's administration, has a structure down to the regional level to strengthen hajj education throughout Indonesia. "So that the hajj is not just a formal routine, but must contribute to the formation of the nation's character," said Maman in his statement in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The PKB legislator emphasized that this new ministry will also regulate umrah implementation more strictly so that hajj travel agencies can still facilitate pilgrims. "But all departures must be confirmed in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah system so that there are no more cases of stranded or deceived pilgrims," he asserted.
Formation of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Awaits Presidential Regulation
Head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO) Hasan Nasbi stated that the formation of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah will be carried out through a presidential regulation (perpres) as a follow-up to the mandate of the Hajj Law.
Hasan mentioned that this institution is different from ministries whose existence is directly mandated by the 1945 Constitution. There are also ministries formed based on a law mandate.
"So there is a law, the mandate is to establish a ministry, then the President will issue a presidential regulation to implement that law. The presidential regulation to establish the ministry of hajj," he said in a press conference at the PCO office in Gambir, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday.
Regarding who will lead the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Hasan emphasized that this is entirely the authority of President Prabowo. "Whether the current head automatically becomes that (minister), let the President decide," he said.
The Organization of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is Targeted to be Completed in 30 Days
The government targets the organization and work structure (SOTK) of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to be completed within the next month. Deputy State Secretary Minister Bambang Eko Suhariyanto stated that the government is still formulating the presidential regulation that will regulate the SOTK.
"In the law, it is mentioned that it should be completed within 30 days. So within 30 days, the SOTK must be completed," said Bambang in the parliamentary complex on Tuesday. The one-month deadline, he said, is counted from the recent ratification of the law.
The Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah of the Ministry of Religious Affairs will be Disbanded
Previously, member of the DPR's Commission VIII Selly Andriany Gantina stated that the Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah (Ditjen PHU) at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) will be disbanded, following the upgraded status of the Hajj Fund Board to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) mentioned that after the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah stands alone, there will automatically be adjustments. "At the Ministry of Religious Affairs, it must be unloaded and there is no longer anything related to the name of Ditjen PHU," said Selly in the parliamentary complex on Sunday, August 24, 2025.
However, in detail, said the member of the working committee for the Hajj Law, there will be coordination between the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. "Whether they will be merged into a particular directorate," said Selly.
She then highlighted the human resources and assets related to pilgrimage that are still available at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. "These will be pulled into the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, which certainly requires adjustments because this institution is a vertical institution," she said.
Dian Rahma Fika, Ervana Trikarinaputri, and Antara contributed to the writing of this article.
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