Presiden Prabowo Subianto’s desire to build a Hajj Village in Saudi Arabia is seen as creating a strong positive image of Indonesia both domestically and internationally, especially in Islamic countries. According to the Secretary of the Center for Information and Development Studies of the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association (CIDES ICMI) Hery Margono, the establishment and management of the Hajj Village by the Indonesian government demonstrates extraordinary diplomatic and strategic achievements. Hery stated that Indonesia has the human resource capacity and financial strength to manage the Hajj facilities independently. He also mentioned that Indonesia’s human resources in the field of Hajj organization are proven to be professional, although there is a need to scale up to manage independent facilities.
Hery emphasized the significant financial strength of Indonesia, especially through the management of Hajj funds by the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH). He believes that the successful realization of the Hajj Village by the government could enhance the self-sufficiency and sovereignty of the Hajj organization, making it a long-term investment. The Hajj Village is designed to be a one-stop service center to increase cost efficiency and service quality. It aims to facilitate services for pilgrims, especially the elderly, by being located near the Masjidil Haram so pilgrims do not have to travel long distances. The BPI Danantara also announced the recent purchase of Novotel Makkah Thakher City, which is 2.5 kilometers away from Masjidil Haram. This hotel has 1,461 rooms and can accommodate 4,383 Indonesian pilgrims. There are plans to add 13 more towers to accommodate a total of 23,000 pilgrims.
The planned location for the Hajj Village is an 80-hectare land. The government sees the initiative of the Hajj Village as a new chapter and a testament to the country’s commitment to better serve Hajj pilgrims in Indonesia.
