Management of Haj funds to facilitate Haj Pilgrimage

Hajj becomes one of the religious moments that are regularly held every year, including in Indonesia. When the Haj pilgrimage is certainly using a fairly high cost, will be many parties who glance at the flow of financing that will be used appropriately during the implementation of Hajj. So how do the efforts of Hajj investments planned by the government of Indonesia which will affect the hajj subsidy costs?

Responding to the investment discourse of Haj funds, President Joko Widodo conveyed, the plan of the use of Haj funds for investment will be done with prudent principles (prudent). However the money belongs to the people, not the government. Whatever form of investment will be made using this fund, the precautionary principle should be put forward. Currently, the value of Haj funds is Rp 80 trillion.

Furthermore, President Jokowi, will benefit from the investment can be used to subsidize the cost and hajj cost so that more affordable by the community. According Jokowi, this way has been used in other countries such as Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Minister of National Development Planning / Head of National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Bambang PS Brodjonegoro asked to explain the discourse of the use of Haj funds for investment.

Bambang Brodjonegoro previously straightened the conversation that was rife in social media about the investment plan of Hajj fund. Bambang said that his party often gets criticism from some circles about the use of haj funds as a source of infrastructure funding.

According to Bambang, haj funds will not be used to finance infrastructure, but rather invested. He considered, investment in infrastructure can be a good choice because it has a lower risk than in other sectors.

Furthermore, the Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said that the deposit fund Hajj Operation Costs (BPIH) may be managed for productive things, including infrastructure development.

Lukman quoted the results of Decision Ijtima Ulama Fatwa Commission of Indonesia-IV of 2012 on the Status of Ownership Fund BPIH Deposits Incoming List (waiting list). In the ijtima it is mentioned that BPIH deposit funds for hajj candidates which include waiting list in the account of the Minister of Religious Affairs may be tasharruffed (managed) for productive matters, such as placement in syariah banking or invested in sukuk. The result of the investment belongs to the prospective pilgrims.

Responding to these developments, regardless of the form of investment and how to manage it, the most important thing is that the funds are not lost and the pilgrim can still perform the pilgrimage to get the ease of facilities from the Haj funds investment results.