{
  "id": 16882100,
  "title": "Indonesia urges Umrah pilgrims to avoid transiting through S'pore & M'sia to support local economy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/indonesia-urges-umrah-pilgrims-to-avoid-transiting-through-spore-msia",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T10:18:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mothership",
    "slug": "mothership",
    "url": "https://mothership.sg/2026/10/indonesia-pilgrims-avoid-transit-singapore-malaysia/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Indonesia is urging its Umrah pilgrims to skip layovers in Singapore and Malaysia when traveling to Saudi Arabia. The Indonesian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah suggests that direct flights on Indonesian airlines, such as Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air, would bolster the country's aviation sector and economy. Deputy Hajj and Umrah Minister Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak estimates that approximately 70,000 Indonesian Umrah pilgrims currently transit through Singapore and Malaysia. He encourages the use of direct flights and urges greater utilization of Indonesian airlines. The Indonesian government's focus on economic sovereignty aligns with President Prabowo Subianto's agenda. Currently, around two million Indonesians perform Umrah annually, while the nation sends up to 221,000 pilgrims for Hajj each year. Meanwhile, Singapore's Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) has advised Singaporean Umrah travelers to postpone their trips due to heightened security risks in Saudi Arabia.",
  "summary": "Around 70,000 Indonesian Umrah pilgrims transit through Singapore and Malaysia, according to Indonesia's Deputy Hajj and Umrah Minister.",
  "key_points": [
    "Indonesia urges Umrah pilgrims to avoid transiting through Singapore and Malaysia.",
    "Direct flights on Indonesian airlines could boost the country's aviation sector and economy.",
    "Around 70,000 Indonesian Umrah pilgrims currently transit through Singapore and Malaysia."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Prioritizing direct flights over regional layovers signals a push for economic sovereignty that seeks to keep aviation revenue within domestic borders rather than losing it to neighboring transit hubs.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}