http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/84965/ris-hajj-pilgrims-lose-nearly-rp350-mln-in-fire-incident RI`s hajj pilgrims lose nearly Rp350 mln in fire incident Wed, October 10 2012 21:49 | 124 Views
"We will claim the damages from the Saudi bus operator," said Arsyad Hidayat, the Head of Mecca regional office of the Indonesian hajj affairs. Mecca (ANTARA News) - The financial losses suffered by 47 Indonesian hajj pilgrims after their bus caught fire here on Monday have reached a total of Rp348,832,170, according to a hajj affairs official. "We will claim the damages from the Saudi bus operator," said Arsyad Hidayat, the Head of Mecca regional office of the Indonesian hajj affairs, here on Wednesday. He stated that he had previously met with the Saudi Arabian bus operator in order to discuss arrangements for the transportation of hajj pilgrims to Mina and Arafah during the peak season this year. However, all the passengers of the bus survived, Arsyad added. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia`s Arafah-Miana transportation affairs director, Sadi Samir Sahfar, issued an apology relating to the Monday afternoon incident, in which a bus carrying 47 Indonesian hajj pilgrims caught fire while it was on its way from Medina to Mecca. "Personnel of the bus operating company and insurance have been investigating the fire incident," he said. According to Samir, the passengers will receive financial compensation soon after the completion of the investigation. The handbags and suitcases of the passengers aboard the ill-fated bus, named "Hafil", got burnt in the accident. The 47 Indonesian hajj pilgrims had left for Saudi Arabia from the Ujung Pandang airport in South Sulawesi province. Ramlah, one of passengers of the bus, claimed to have lost 7,000 Saudi riyal (Rp15 million) in the incident. (*) Editor: Heru +++++ http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/81245/elderly-hajj-pilgrims-must-be-prioritized-president Elderly hajj pilgrims must be prioritized: President Tue, April 10 2012 00:19 | 806 Views Hajj pilgrims in Masjidil Haram, Macca, Saudi Arabia, last year(FOTO ANTARA/Prasetyo Utomo/Koz/mes/11) Yudhoyono said that the government`s efforts had been fruitful considering that the hajj quota of Indonesia was increased by 10,000 pilgrims, from 211 thousand pilgrims to 221 pilgrims. Solo, C Java (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the relevant agencies to give priority to elderly would-be hajj pilgrims. "I have asked the Ministry of Religious Affairs to prioritize elderly people," the president said in a national thanks giving function on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the Indonesian Hajj Brotherhood Association (IPHI) here on Monday. Yudhoyono said that the government was doing its best to improve the quality of hajj services. He said that the government`s efforts had been fruitful considering that the hajj quota of Indonesia was increased by 10,000 pilgrims. It was increased from 211 thousand pilgrims to 221 pilgrims, he said. The hajj services have been increasing over the past five years."But we have to continue to carry out improvement," the president said. The president and Mrs Ani Yudhoyono were in Solo to pay a working visit, among others to attend the 22nd anniversary of the Indonesian Hajj Solidarity Association. Accompanying the head of states during the visit were House Speaker Marzuki Alie, Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali, Chief Welfare Minister Agung Laksono, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi, Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam, Informatics and Communications Minitser Tifatul Sembiring and President of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq.(*) Editor: Heru [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
