Prabowo Proposes Indonesian Village Near Grand Mosque to Lower Hajj Costs
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JAKARTA, investortrust.id — President Prabowo Subianto plans to establish a dedicated Indonesian village near the Grand Mosque in Mecca to reduce the financial burden of the Hajj pilgrimage. The initiative, aimed at bringing Indonesian pilgrims closer to key religious sites and cutting travel expenses, was announced during the inauguration of a new Hajj and Umrah terminal at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
In his address, Prabowo revealed that he had discussed the idea with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. The Indonesian government is now seeking a follow-up meeting with senior Saudi leadership to explore technical aspects of the proposal. If approved, the project would allow Indonesian pilgrims to stay in affordable accommodations near the holy site.
“I have already conveyed Indonesia’s intention to build a dedicated Indonesian village in the Holy Land, as close as possible to the Grand Mosque,” Prabowo said. “We’ve received a positive response from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are preparing to move forward with technical discussions.”
According to Prabowo, the Indonesian village near Masjidil Haram could significantly reduce operational costs of the pilgrimage, ultimately lowering the expenses borne by pilgrims.
“InshaAllah, we will have our own village and create efficiency,” he stated.
The President also urged national airline Garuda Indonesia, which handles a significant portion of Hajj flights, to conduct a cost review and eliminate unnecessary expenditures. He emphasized that operational efficiency must be prioritized to ensure more affordable pilgrimage packages.
“Garuda must streamline its operations. We must cut unnecessary expenses. Efficiency will lead to lower costs—that is our goal now,” Prabowo said.
This year, the Indonesian government has managed to reduce Hajj expenses by Rp 4 million (approximately $239). However, Prabowo expressed dissatisfaction and called on officials to push further reductions. He stated his ambition for Indonesia to offer Hajj at a cost lower than Malaysia.
“Four million is not enough. I’m not satisfied. We must aim to be the most affordable, even cheaper than Malaysia. Can we do it?” he asked, directing his question to the Head of the Hajj Organizing Agency and the Minister of Religious Affairs.
In the same event, Prabowo inaugurated the newly completed international-scale Hajj and Umrah terminal at Soekarno-Hatta Airport’s Terminal 2F. He praised the facility as a milestone in Indonesia’s efforts to improve pilgrimage services.
“This is an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations to all involved,” he said. “Today, I am honored to officially inaugurate the Hajj and Umrah Terminal 2F at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.”