Tika Ayu, Jakarta – Presidential candidate Anies Baswedan promised on Tuesday, Dec. 5, to increase the hajj quota by 20,000-30,000 if he wins the 2024 election.

"We are trying to increase more [quota of hajj]. Hopefully, about 20,000-30,000 more pilgrims," he said during a discussion event dubbed Desak Anies in Banjarmasin City, South Kalimantan, on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.

Anies said Banjarmasin used to be one of Indonesia's regions with the highest number of hajj pilgrims in the country as there were many diamond entrepreneurs in the province at that time.

With this in mind, Anies said he hoped that many more people would perform the holy pilgrimage.

Additionally, he said that his side was also trying to seek a solution to reduce the cost of hajj. "We are in talks and hope that this can be completed quickly so that we can lower the cost of hajj like in other countries," Anies Baswedan said.

Recently, the Religious Affairs Ministry and the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission VIII announced that the cost of the 2024 hajj pilgrimage (BPIH) was raised to Rp93.4 million, which includes the hajj travel cost or BIPIH that each pilgrim must pay totaling Rp56 million.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1805882/anies-baswedan-vows-to-increase-hajj-quota-if-elected-as-presiden