Indonesia introduces app for Hajj Pilgrims to enhance communication

• Indonesia has launched a mobile app, Kawal Haji, for Hajj pilgrims.
• The app aims to streamline communication and coordination during the pilgrimage season.
• Indonesia expects over 4,400 Hajj officers to cater to its pilgrims this year.

On Monday, Indonesia launched a mobile app dedicated to Indonesian Hajj pilgrims as officials seek to streamline communication for better coordination during the pilgrimage season.

The world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation will be sending its biggest Hajj contingent — comprising 241,000 pilgrims — to Saudi Arabia this year for the spiritual journey that is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Following the commencement of the country’s first Hajj flight of the season on May 12, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has now launched a mobile app named Kawal Haji where pilgrims can file reports and post inquiries among one another and to Indonesian officers about their journey.

“Kawal Haji is meant to become a communication channel between Hajj pilgrims, officers, their families, members of the public, and other stakeholders. Pilgrims can report, help each other, share information, and convey their appreciation,” said Wibowo Prasetyo, the ministry’s special staff for media and public communication, during the launching event in Jakarta.

“Through Kawal Haji, pilgrims now have a trusted channel to report and complain. Information on the organization of the Hajj pilgrimage will not run wild on social media either. The trust of the pilgrims and other stakeholders will only increase.”

Prasetyo stated that the app includes two main features: allowing pilgrims to report any issue related to their food, accommodation, transportation, or whereabouts, and featuring a finder function to track the location of those who are lost.

“This will be very useful to track cases of pilgrims going missing or getting lost. It requires the pilgrims to activate their location feature so it can track the last known location,” said Hasan Affandi, an official with the Religious Affairs Ministry.

“Pilgrims can also express appreciation for the works of the officers or the help of other pilgrims.”

Indonesia is sending over 4,400 Hajj officers to cater to its pilgrims this year.

Meanwhile, nearly 89,000 Indonesian pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia so far, with Hajj flights from Indonesia scheduled until June 10.

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