Modern Governance of Hajj and Umrah: Digital Innovation and Legal Protection for Pilgrims

Abstract

The administration of Hajj and Umrah in Indonesia faces complex governance challenges, such as extremely long pilgrim queues, weak supervision of Umrah Travel Organizers (PPIU), and the increasing number of fraud cases that harm pilgrims. The repeated failures of travel agencies to properly facilitate or repatriate pilgrims highlight the urgent need to strengthen legal protection mechanisms. In response, the government has promoted the modernization of governance through digital innovation, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s vision of digital transformation. This digitalization serves a dual purpose: enhancing the efficiency and transparency of public services while simultaneously reinforcing the state’s regulatory and control functions over private organizers. This study aims to analyze the modernization of Hajj and Umrah governance through digital innovation, evaluate the effectiveness of digital systems such as the Integrated Hajj Computerization System (Siskohat) in improving services and oversight, and examine the adequacy of the legal framework particularly Law No. 8 of 2019 in providing legal protection for pilgrims. The research employs a normative juridical method, analyzing the legal framework governing Hajj and Umrah administration, including Law No. 8 of 2019, the Consumer Protection Act, and derivative regulations issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs concerning PPIU standards and certification. Digital innovations such as Siskohat have successfully integrated registration, payment, and data validation processes, significantly improving efficiency and transparency. New platforms like SERAMBI facilitate online licensing and accreditation for PPIUs, transforming the traditional periodic-manual supervision model into a system of continuous digital surveillance. Normatively, Law No. 8 of 2019 provides a strong legal foundation, including severe criminal sanctions for organizers engaged in fraud or negligence. However, there remains a gap between the availability of data generated by digital systems and the effectiveness of law enforcement in practice, as fraudulent activities continue to occur. The governance of Hajj and Umrah is thus undergoing a transformation toward a data-driven model characterized by greater modernity and transparency. Despite robust digital innovations and a solid legal framework, the protection of pilgrims remains suboptimal due to weak law enforcement. It is therefore recommended that the Ministry of Religious Affairs establish a collaborative task force with the National Police to proactively utilize data from Siskohat and other digital systems for investigation and strict enforcement against problematic PPIUs, thereby ensuring that legal sanctions are applied effectively.