Chairman of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI), Marwan Dasopang, put forward a strategic idea regarding the optimization of Hajj services. He proposed that the health istitha'ah check, or the health fitness requirement for prospective Hajj pilgrims, be implemented one year before the departure period.
Marwan conveyed the proposal during the National Working Meeting on the Evaluation of the 1447 Hijri/2026 Hajj Organization held in Jakarta on Saturday (4/7/2026). According to him, a one-year duration is crucial for prospective pilgrims to undergo recovery and comprehensively improve their health condition before their eligibility status is finalized.
This preventive measure is expected to reduce the number of prospective pilgrims who fail to depart at the last minute due to health issues that do not meet the standard criteria. Marwan emphasized that if prospective pilgrims still fail to meet the criteria after being given time for health assistance, the decision to withhold their departure must be strictly adhered to as part of standard operating procedures for Hajj.
During the forum, the DPR also expressed positive appreciation for the quality of the 1447 Hijri Hajj operations. Marwan noted significant improvements in domestic services, such as the visa issuance process and the distribution of Nusuk cards. Nevertheless, the commission remains committed to monitoring service evaluations in Saudi Arabia to ensure the comfort of pilgrims during the next Hajj season.
