JAKARTA: There is a huge demand from Indonesians to perform Hajj, since they form the largest Muslim population in the world, but to be able to go on one is not an easy matter. Most of those who want to go have to endure tedious years of waiting, and much also depends on where they live.
Residents in Bantaeng, a regency in Southeast Sulawesi, have to wait the longest — until 2050. Western Southeast Maluku regency has the shortest wait, with 57 people on the list to depart in 2020.
But some have been lucky enough to be able to go this year. Slamet Widodo, 54, a school principal from Semarang, Central Java, departed for Hajj on August 16 after he was selected as a member of the Semarang pilgrims’ regional observers’ team.
“I had to participate in a selection process from May to June, until it was confirmed that I was selected and would be able to go on Hajj,” he told Arab News.
Widodo applied as an observer last year and had already passed the selection process, but his place on the team was canceled at the last minute. “Maybe it was God’s way of showing that it was not yet my time to go on Hajj,” he said, and he found it a blessing in disguise because his school was selected to receive a government grant, and as the headmaster, he had to sign the agreement. “It happened during the Hajj season. If I had gone, my school would not have received the grant.”
Taufan Erikson Sjukri also found a blessing in the disguise of his delayed departure in 2015. Along with his siblings and sister-in-law, he registered to go on Hajj in 2012. He was told that he was on a three-year waiting list, and when the Hajj quota for Indonesia was reduced by 20 percent in 2013 from 211,000 to 168,800 because of renovations at the holy sites, he had to wait even longer.
Taufan found out that he was cleared to go this year; he also found that his older brother and sister-in-law, as well as an older sister, were all scheduled to go by the end of August.
“Maybe it was our luck to get postponed so that we could go together now. If it had been on schedule, we would have gone on Hajj separately,” Taufan told Arab News.
In January, President Joko Widodo announced that the government of Saudi Arabia has reinstated the quota back to normal for this year’s Hajj season.
“In addition to reinstating the quota back to 211,000, the government of Saudi Arabia has agreed to Indonesia’s request for additional quota and decided to add another 10,000. Therefore, the Hajj quota for Indonesia in 2017 increased from 168,800 to 221,000. That means Indonesia had a quota increase of 52,200,” the president said when he announced the news at the presidential palace on Jan. 11.
Despite the good news, it did not deter people from looking for shortcuts to go on Hajj sooner than if they were to wait by registering through the government.
On August 9, immigration officials at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar, Southeast Sulawesi, stopped a group of 40 individuals aiming to go on Hajj using pilgrimage visas as they were embarking to Singapore but bound for Makkah.
“After questioning each one of them, it was confirmed that they were going to Saudi Arabia, but taking the unusual route via Singapore and Colombo, from where they would blend in as if they had departed for Makkah as part of the pilgrim group from Colombo,” immigration office spokesman Agung Sampurno told Arab News.
Sampurno said they were victims of a bogus travel agent who offered them an alternative way to reach Saudi Arabia so they could perform Hajj without having to queue in for decades in the country.
“We were suspicious because we know the Kingdom doesn’t issue any other type of visa except for the Hajj visa during the Hajj season. This is a common modus people would take during this season,” Sampurno said, and the government has established that there are at least 9,000 Indonesians who reached Saudi Arabia using similar means and will be deported after Eid.
Sampurno said the case was similar to last year when 177 Indonesians were detained by Philippines authorities for posing as Filipinos and using fake Philippine passports to go on Hajj using the Philippines’ unused quota.
“Except that this time they don’t use fake passports, they just tried to blend in as if they were part of the Colombo delegation,” Sampurno said.
Increased Hajj quota comes as relief for Indonesians despite mammoth waiting list
Increased Hajj quota comes as relief for Indonesians despite mammoth waiting list
Heritage in hand: ‘Year of Handicrafts’ honors Saudi Arabia’s cultural legacy, artisans
- Saudi women’s craft in Northern Borders region links past to present
RIYADH: Handicrafts have long held a special place in Saudi Arabia’s cultural fabric, representing a prosperous heritage passed down through generations.
Rooted in the creativity and skill of Saudi artisans of both sexes, these traditional crafts symbolize the nation’s ingenuity and resilience while highlighting its diverse cultural identity.
Throughout 2025, the Saudi Ministry of Culture will organize an array of events, exhibitions, educational programs and competitions under the banner of “Year of Handicrafts,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.
These activities aim to emphasize the cultural and historical significance of handicrafts while supporting their relevance in modern life.
Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan said: “Saudi handicrafts reflect the creativity of Saudi society through weaving, handmade artifacts and artistic innovations passed down through generations.”
The initiative seeks to foster appreciation for traditional arts and encourage their continued practice and preservation. “Among these are pottery, traditional clothing, ceramic utensils, leatherwork, copperwork, tailoring, dyeing, blacksmithing, gold and jewelry crafting, and other handmade creations by Saudi artisans,” he said.
The Ministry of Culture aims to elevate Saudi handicrafts locally and internationally, empowering artisans and boosting their contribution to the economy. This will be achieved through events organized with partners to highlight the cultural, historical and economic importance of handicrafts.
Through partnerships across the public, private and non-profit sectors, the Year of Handicrafts will cultivate sustainable practices, foster innovation and contribute to cultural dialogue.
In Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region, women play a pivotal role in preserving these traditional arts.
Handicrafts are passed down through generations and traditionally inherited by women, and are intricately connected to the region’s natural environment, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.
Most notable are Sadu, tent and textile making and embroidered handicrafts, some of which may take 10 continuous days to make.
With these handicrafts, women record a strong presence at national events and festivals, in the region and beyond, the report said.
The traditional market in Arar, which opened more than 10 years ago, supports many elderly craftswomen and their granddaughters, allocating them places to display their products and handicrafts.
The market, in addition to Al-Khozama Hall, has emerged as an important heritage destination that offers families specialized courses on buying and selling, saving money and e-marketing.
Several craftswomen said that they inherited their craft from their mothers and passed them on to their granddaughters, especially since marketing these products to many people in the region also created economic opportunities, SPA reported.
Meanwhile, the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts in Riyadh will launch the Wrth Community initiative on Saturday, marking the beginning of its year-long celebration of the “Year of Handicrafts.”
The initiative will feature a series of meetings and dialogues with leading figures in the field, as well as educational workshops. The initiative seeks to revitalize and modernize traditional handicrafts by incorporating contemporary design and technologies, fostering collaboration among institutions and the local community, and highlighting the crucial role of traditional arts in preserving cultural identity.
The initiative will also help individuals to use these arts in innovative ways through specialized training, the SPA reported.
It covers a diverse range of areas — education, handicrafts and entrepreneurship — and features dialogue sessions, providing a platform for skill development, experience exchange and the fostering of creativity and innovation.
KSrelief continues aid projects in Yemen, Gaza
- The project aims to improve services and promote hygiene among those affected by the humanitarian crisis
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has signed an agreement with a civil society organization to implement a $359,000 water and sanitation project in Yemen’s Hodeidah governorate.
The project aims to improve services and promote hygiene among those affected by the humanitarian crisis, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
It includes the distribution of personal hygiene kits, toilet cleaning supplies, and the installation of 20 mobile toilets. Access to safe drinking water for domestic use will also be ensured, benefiting 131,662 individuals.
Ahmed Al-Baiz, assistant supervisor general of operations and programs at KSrelief, signed the agreement in Riyadh.
Meanwhile, KSrelief distributed 2,100 shelter kits to support residents and displaced families in northern Gaza, benefiting 21,000 people.
This aid comes amid a large influx of displaced people due to ongoing Israeli military operations in northern Gaza for over two months, the SPA added.
KSrelief’s executive partner in Gaza, the Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, has begun distributing the aid packages to alleviate suffering during the severe cold and ongoing siege.
The kits include blankets, mattresses, cooking utensils, and water containers to help families cope with the harsh conditions.
The distribution is expected to continue in the coming days, reaching thousands more displaced and needy families in Gaza, the SPA reported.
Authorities review Ramadan readiness in Madinah
- The meeting included a presentation by the General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque on Ramadan preparations
RIYADH: Prince Salman bin Sultan, the governor of Madinah, chaired a meeting to discuss preparations for Ramadan.
The meeting was attended by heads of several government agencies in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Salman, who is also chairman of the Hajj and Visit Committee in the region, commended the leadership’s care for visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque.
He emphasized the need to enhance readiness among all parties to ensure the highest levels of comfort, security and reassurance for visitors during Ramadan.
The meeting included a presentation by the General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque on Ramadan preparations.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah reviewed its operational plans, while the Ministry of Health’s regional branch presented its health system readiness for visitors.
The meeting concluded with a discussion of developments related to operations at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.
New initiative to train Saudis in generative AI
RIYADH: A professional training program in generative artificial intelligence has been launched at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran.
The program is offered by the Gen AI Academy in collaboration with the Saudi Data and AI Authority and NVIDIA.
This initiative marks the first step in a plan to train 4,000 Saudi citizens, according to the Saudi Press Agency report.
The program will train and qualify Saudi citizens in generative AI. It aims to build the next generation’s capabilities in AI, enhance participants’ expertise to foster innovation, and underscore the Kingdom’s advanced position in the field.
It targets individuals with a solid foundation in computer science or related fields, as well as academic professionals and practitioners.
The training includes advanced, up-to-date materials provided by certified Saudi experts from NVIDIA.
Participants will engage in a blend of virtual self-learning modules and interactive in-person workshops.
On completion, participants will receive professional certifications accredited by NVIDIA, recognized globally as leading credentials in generative AI.
The program is part of the authority’s efforts to promote learning and build national AI capabilities, reinforcing the Kingdom’s position among data- and AI-driven economies.
Security exhibition showcases KSA’s tech advancements
RIYADH: The Ministry of Interior’s Security Oasis exhibition recently concluded at the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival in Al-Sayahid, northeast of Riyadh.
Visitors were immersed in the Kingdom’s rich history of security and service, spanning from its founding to the present day, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The exhibition highlighted the ministry’s key development projects, investments in technology, AI applications and digital solutions aimed at enhancing public safety, environmental sustainability, traffic safety, and Hajj and Umrah services.
Visitors also learned about the ministry’s security services for individuals, businesses and government entities through platforms like Absher and the 911 call centers, the SPA reported.
The exhibition showcased anti-drug smuggling efforts, border security awareness, search and rescue operations, and land and sea monitoring.
A major highlight of the exhibition was the shooting range, where visitors enjoyed supervised shooting experiences under the guidance of professional trainers.
It also featured captivating military scenarios, performances by musical bands, camel and cavalry bands, and engaging folk performances from various regions of the Kingdom.
