Indonesia has reduced the factual average waiting time for Hajj pilgrims departing this year to 14 years, down from the previously calculated 26-year average.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah reviewed and validated data on approximately 5.7 million registered pilgrims, identifying about 400,000 invalid records in the process.
The development follows President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to find ways to shorten Indonesia’s lengthy Hajj queues. The country’s waiting period had previously reached as high as 49 years in some areas.
President Prabowo has welcomed the progress and urged the ministry to continue looking for ways to reduce the waiting period even further.
The government says it will continue improving Hajj data and administration to provide pilgrims with more accurate information and greater certainty about their departure dates.
