Sunday, 04 October 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - The North Sumatra Provincial Government, together with Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, has strengthened its commitment to improving the quality of Hajj services for the 2027 pilgrimage season. The cooperation among the three institutions represents a strategic step toward delivering more professional and effective services while ensuring a comfortable pilgrimage experience for all pilgrims from North Sumatra.
The joint commitment was demonstrated during a specific working visit by Commission VIII of the DPR RI to the North Sumatra Regional Office of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah at the Hajj Dormitory on Jalan AH Nasution in Medan on Friday, October 2, 2026. During the meeting, the participants discussed an evaluation of the previous Hajj season and further preparations for the upcoming pilgrimage in 2027.Acting Regional Secretary of North Sumatra Timur Tumanggor stated that the Hajj pilgrimage the previous year had proceeded well and smoothly. The services provided to pilgrims had also received positive feedback. This achievement, he said, would serve as an important foundation for the regional government and all relevant institutions to further improve the quality of Hajj management in 2027.
"Last year's Hajj implementation went very well. Our pilgrims were satisfied. Therefore, we are committed to making even more thorough, professional, and comprehensive preparations this year to provide high-quality services to our pilgrims," Timur Tumanggor said.In his view, the successful organization of the Hajj pilgrimage was inseparable from coordination and cooperation among all relevant parties. Accordingly, the North Sumatra Provincial Government was working to strengthen communication and collaboration with the central government, the DPR RI, and other relevant institutions to ensure that every stage of preparation was implemented in line with actual needs.
Timur explained that each Hajj season presented different challenges. This situation required all relevant institutions to conduct continuous evaluations, identify existing shortcomings, and establish improvement measures before pilgrims departed for the Holy Land.
He expressed hope that cooperation between the North Sumatra Provincial Government, Commission VIII of the DPR RI, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah would continue to grow stronger. Through more intensive coordination, various issues identified during the previous Hajj season could serve as a basis for improvements aimed at enhancing the quality of services for the 2027 pilgrimage.The regional government also considered early preparations an essential element in ensuring that all pilgrims' needs were properly addressed. From service provision and personal assistance to coordination between government agencies, every aspect needed to be properly aligned so that pilgrims could perform their religious obligations safely and comfortably.
"Of course, the challenges are different every year. Therefore, we must strengthen our cooperation to prepare for next year's Hajj pilgrimage," Timur said.He emphasized that improving service quality must become a shared priority. With more thorough preparations and support from all stakeholders, the 2027 Hajj pilgrimage was expected to run better than the previous year's implementation.
These adjustments required careful coordination and planning to ensure that available funds could continue to be used effectively while maintaining the necessary services for pilgrims. For this reason, Commission VIII of the DPR RI considered cooperation between the central government, regional governments, and institutions responsible for Hajj administration essential to maximizing the use of available resources.
Ansory, who led the specific working visit by Commission VIII of the DPR RI to the North Sumatra Regional Office of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, expressed hope that close coordination would contribute to a more efficient and targeted organization of the pilgrimage.He also underscored the importance of budget planning in which every policy and financial decision directly contributed to improving service quality. In this way, financial constraints or necessary budget adjustments would not result in the needs of people intending to perform the Hajj pilgrimage receiving less attention.
"We believe that through strong cooperation, we can organize the Hajj more effectively, in a more targeted manner, and with greater efficiency. Hopefully, the Hajj pilgrimage will continue to improve for the people of North Sumatra," Ansory said.According to Ansory, successfully organizing the Hajj required support from numerous stakeholders. This involved not only funding but also personnel readiness and the quality of the service system. Therefore, evaluations and coordination needed to continue so that potential difficulties could be identified early and appropriate measures taken.
One of the ministry's main priorities in North Sumatra was to provide pilgrimage guides holding recognized competency certificates and possessing comprehensive knowledge of Hajj rituals, as well as the latest developments and applicable regulations.
Zulkifli emphasized that pilgrimage guides played an important role in helping pilgrims understand all procedures and religious requirements associated with the Hajj. Therefore, they needed not only practical experience but also regular updates to their professional knowledge to ensure that the guidance provided was accurate and consistent with applicable regulations.In his assessment, guides who failed to keep up with the latest religious knowledge and organizational regulations could potentially provide inaccurate information to pilgrims. This could create problems when pilgrims performed the various religious rites in the Holy Land.
"We will improve our services, including by preparing certified guides whose knowledge is up to date. We do not want people with outdated knowledge to be assigned as pilgrimage guides. That could create serious risks later," Zulkifli said.Through these preparations, the North Sumatra Regional Office of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah aims to ensure that pilgrimage guides possess adequate competencies to provide appropriate assistance to pilgrims. Improving their qualifications is also part of broader efforts to ensure that pilgrims receive accurate guidance on religious requirements, enabling them to complete every stage of the Hajj in an orderly manner and in accordance with applicable regulations.
Cooperation between the North Sumatra Provincial Government, Commission VIII of the DPR RI, and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is expected to continue intensifying until all stages of preparation are completed. Evaluating previous Hajj operations, securing financial resources, and improving the competencies of personnel and pilgrimage guides remain among the central priorities for enhancing the quality of Hajj services in 2027.Through careful planning and continuous coordination, all parties are committed to providing the best possible services to pilgrims from North Sumatra. These efforts are intended to ensure that they can perform their religious obligations safely, comfortably, and smoothly. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
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