Indonesia urges umrah pilgrims to avoid transit flights via Singapore and Malaysia

The Jakarta Post reports that Deputy Haj and Umrah Minister Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak asked travel operators to avoid routes through Singapore or Malaysia for the time being and recommended direct flights to Jeddah or Medina. He cited risks amid escalating conflict in the Middle East and said redirecting around 70,000 pilgrims who use those transit routes to Indonesian airlines could support the national economy. He said umrah activities in Saudi Arabia remained unaffected.