JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—President Prabowo Subianto has ordered further reforms to Indonesia’s hajj administration, including a forensic audit of hajj finances. The reforms also include measures intended to shorten waiting times without placing excessive costs on pilgrims.

Prabowo discussed the reforms with Hajj and Umrah Minister Mochamad Irfan Yusuf and Deputy Minister Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Monday, September 28.

The ministers reported that data corrections and changes to quota distribution could reduce the average actual waiting period for pilgrims scheduled to depart in 2027 to around 14 years.

The government compared that figure with an average calculation of approximately 26 years under the previous system. In some regions, there were far longer queues recorded as well.

However, the 14-year figure should not be interpreted as a guaranteed waiting period for every new registrant.

Indonesia’s official hajj information portal states that individual departure estimates may change according to provincial quotas, regulatory revisions and cancellations.

Indonesia is using 221,000 places as its working assumption for the 2027 hajj season. However, Saudi Arabia had not formally announced the final allocation when the ministry disclosed that figure in June.

The same national quota applied in 2026, including 203,320 places for the regular hajj program.

The meeting also addressed the financial pressure surrounding the 2027 pilgrimage. Irfan said higher aviation fuel prices and geopolitical developments in the Middle East could increase the total cost of providing hajj services.

“Some figures will have to change, but in principle, the president said they must not burden pilgrims,” Irfan said after the meeting.

The government and the House of Representatives (DPR) are reviewing the balance between the total Hajj cost (BPIH) and the amount paid directly by Hajj travel costs (BIPIH). Moreover, investment returns generated from hajj funds cover the remaining portion.

For the 2026 season, the average BPIH stood at Rp87.41 million per pilgrim. Pilgrims paid an average BIPIH of Rp54.19 million. Meanwhile, Rp33.22 million came from investment returns managed by the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH).

BPKH reported Rp182.34 trillion in managed hajj funds as of July 2026. It projected that approximately Rp6.12 trillion in investment returns would be available to support the 2027 pilgrimage after accounting for other allocations.

BPKH has warned that policymakers must balance affordability for departing pilgrims with fairness to people who remain on the waiting list.

Dahnil said Prabowo had also requested a forensic audit of hajj financial governance. The ministry plans to discuss the audit mechanism with the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP).

“President Prabowo encouraged an immediate forensic audit of hajj financial governance,” Dahnil said.

The audit is intended to establish the fund’s financial condition before the government makes broader policy changes. The decision to conduct an audit does not, by itself, establish that officials committed financial misconduct.

President Prabowo also instructed the ministry to investigate practices that allegedly harm hajj and umrah pilgrims.

The reforms will ultimately depend on transparent audit findings and accurate registration data. In addition, they require a cost formula that protects both departing pilgrims and those still waiting.