Indonesian govt awaits Saudi Arabia's decision on haj

An aerial view of deserted Grand Mosque on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan during the outbreak of Covid-19, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia April 24, 2020. - Reuters

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/ANN): The Religious Affairs Ministry is still waiting for Saudi Arabia to announce its final decision on this year’s haj that will see millions of Muslims performing rituals in the holy city of Mecca, as the kingdom mulls a plan to put the annual tradition on hold amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministry’s haj and umrah (minor haj) director general, Nizar Ali, said his office had been coordinating with the haj consul of the Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah regarding this year’s haj, initially slated to be held from July 28 to Aug. 2.