Jakarta, ( Antara) - The Government of Saudi Arabia will increase the quota for Hajj and Umra pilgrimage for Muslims around the world, aiming to reach 30 million pilgrims by 2030.
"Today's quota caters to 8 million Hajj and Umra pilgrims per year and the number is expected to go up to 30 million by 2030," Deputy Governor of Investment Affairs from the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), Faisal Bassarat, said after the 'Indonesia-Saudi Arabia Business Forum' event in Jakarta's Grand Hyatt hotel on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia is home to the Islamic holy cities, Mecca and Madina, to which Muslim communities from all around the world carry out their religious pilgrimage to.
The Saudi government is in charge of organizing the entrance quota to accommodate to members of Muslim communities from all over the world who wish to make their pilgrimage journey.
Furthermore, the Umra and Hajj sector acts as one of the most important sectors for the country's economy, and as the Saudi government is seeking to further explore its non-oil and gas sector to boost their trade.
Bassarat further said that Indonesia sends the most Hajj and Umra pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, which makes it ideal for Indonesian investors to explore the sector in Saudi.
He believed that the presence of Indonesian investors in Saudi will lead to even better services to Indonesian pilgrims.
Additionally, SAGIA's Deputy Governor for Investor Services Adnan Assargi said there are a lot of other opportunities that will come with the increase of pilgrimage quota.
"There are other opportunities that come with it as well such as hotels, logistics operations and other sub-sectors that come under this sector," he remarked.
The Indonesia-Saudi Arabia Business Forum was held by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) in cooperation with its Saudi Arabian counterpart, as the sidelines to the visit of King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud's visit to Indonesia.
The forum was attended by several distinguished diplomatic guests, including Indonesia's Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita, Chairman of the National Investment Services Agency Thomas Trikasih Lembong, Saudi Arabia's Governor General of Authority of SMEs Gassan Ahmed Al Suliman, and Vice Chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers Showimy Aldossari.
Istiqlal to be Symbol of Peace
The King of Saudi Arabia, Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud, hopes the Istiqlal mosque will become a symbol of religious peace, an Istiqlal management member, Bahrul Hayat, said here, Thursday.
"The King is very proud of the mosque, hoping that Istiqlal becomes a symbol of Islam civilization and at the same time peace and harmony," Bahrul said.
He added the King wrote the statement and the hope in the guest book of Istiqlal Mosque.
According to Bahrul, the arrival of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Indonesia is a symbol of friendship between the country and Saudi Arabia.
The visit to the Istiqlal mosque was part of the King's current state visit agenda to Indonesia.
President Joko Widodo visited Saudi Arabia on September 11, 2015.
Calligraphy
The King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud has given an Al-Qur'an calligraphy embroidered with gold thread on a piece of thick black cloth to the Istiqlal Mosque.
"The King specifically presents the gift to the Istiqlal Mosque," Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said here, Thursday.
King Salman, along with President Joko Widodo, conducted prayer at the Istiqlal mosque, then signed a guest book, and handed over the 2x1 meters calligraphy gift.
"This prize is a symbol of great concern of Saudi Arabia government and people to Indonesia," Lukman added.
King Salman has been impressed with the mosque which established in1978.
"King Salman said that he was grateful to visit the Istiqlal Mosque," Lukman said.
When entering the mosque, King Salman was greeted by school students who were waving the national flags of Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
"The King was so surprised to the extraordinary welcome of the Indonesians, the same as when he visited Bogor, West Java on the first day of his state visit. At that time, tens of thousands of people stood along the street and greeted the King despite heavy rain ," the minister explained.
After praying at Istiqlal, Kinga Salman met a number of Islamic figures at the Presidential Palace and planted an ironwood sapling in Merdeka Palace yard in Jakarta. (*)
