MIRI: The Umrah travel corridor between Sarawak and West Kalimantan is set to be further strengthened through cross-border cooperation focusing on facilitating pilgrims’ movement, enhancing Kuching-Saudi Arabia air connectivity, and coordinating regulations and operators’ responsibilities.
The cooperation is expected to provide more travel options for pilgrims from West Kalimantan while strengthening Sarawak’s position as one of Borneo’s gateways for Umrah.
The initiative follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Sarawak Umrah and Hajj Association (SUHA) and West Kalimantan Umrah Travel Companies Collaboration Forum (FKPPIU) during the Sarawak Umrah and Islamic Tourism Expo Festival 2026 (SUITEX26) recently.
FKPPIU West Kalimantan chairman Anwar Sayuthi said one of the key areas of cooperation was to streamline the journey for pilgrims from West Kalimantan, including those entering Sarawak through the Tebedu and Aruk land border crossings.
He said dedicated arrangements for Umrah groups could be explored with the relevant authorities, including more suitable waiting facilities and a more streamlined immigration process, particularly for elderly pilgrims.
“Pilgrims from West Kalimantan have several options, including flights from Pontianak. Some also travel by land through Tebedu or Aruk before continuing their journey via Kuching.
“We hope these options can be made easier, more organised and more comfortable,” he said.
The initiative is also in line with Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s view that Sarawak has the potential to serve as one of Borneo’s Umrah gateways.
The view was conveyed by Deputy Minister in the Premier of Sarawak’s Department Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi during the closing ceremony of SUITEX26.
Anwar said the potential of Kuching as one of Borneo’s Umrah gateways should continue to be explored, including efforts to strengthen air connectivity between Kuching and Saudi Arabia.
He said West Kalimantan had a substantial Umrah market, while Sarawak’s strategic location and existing facilities provided opportunities for both regions to complement each other.
However, he said matters involving border control, immigration and air connectivity would require coordination between the governments and relevant ministries in Malaysia and Indonesia.
He said developments involving Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Hajj and Umrah administration, including in West Kalimantan, could also provide opportunities for more structured coordination.
Meanwhile, SUHA chairman Ruzaiman Ghazalee said the growth of cross-border Umrah travel must be accompanied by stronger regulations, greater pilgrim protection and improved industry readiness.
He said licensing requirements should be implemented fairly and reciprocally, with Malaysian agencies operating in Indonesia required to comply with Indonesian regulations, while Indonesian agencies operating in Malaysia must comply with Malaysian laws and regulations.
“Borders should open up greater opportunities for cooperation, but they must not become a means of circumventing regulations.
“This is important to ensure fair competition among licensed agencies while protecting pilgrims through proper regulation and enforcement,” he said.
Ruzaiman said SUHA and FKPPIU could initiate knowledge-sharing programmes through workshops, working visits and engagement sessions involving members of both organisations.
“This would enable Sarawak agencies to better understand the operational systems and needs of pilgrims from West Kalimantan, while agencies there could gain a better understanding of the industry structure and practices in Sarawak.
“Understanding each other’s systems, strengths and limitations is important to ensure future cooperation can be planned more effectively and implemented in an organised manner,” he said.
He said the SUHA-FKPPIU MoU was also expected to lead to closer operational coordination between the two organisations, including agency-to-agency communication, the sharing of travel information and coordination in addressing operational issues.
At the same time, Ruzaiman said Sarawak needed to strengthen its readiness if it wanted to become a preferred regional gateway for Umrah, particularly in terms of pilgrim management, operator reliability and service consistency.
He said the government could assess the potential for direct flights between Kuching and Saudi Arabia from various perspectives.
“Besides potentially reducing travel time for pilgrims, such a route could also benefit Sarawak’s aviation, tourism, hospitality, transport and related business sectors.
“We cannot simply expect pilgrims to choose Sarawak. We also need to give them reasons to choose Sarawak.
“This cooperation must create added value for both sides.
“The ultimate goal is to make the journey easier, ensure better protection for pilgrims and ensure both regions benefit from the cooperation,” he said.
