Haji Umar Bugis and Kongsi Tiga

 

Haji Umar Bugis and Kongsi Tiga

The transportation of pilgrims during the colonial era received special attention from the government at that time. There are even companies that have a monopoly on it.

Hajj has never been separated from the presence of a Hajj departure bureau. To this day, the existence of a Hajj departure bureau is very much needed.

Its development is also increasing. The number of hajj bureaus is also large. Even the organization that houses the Hajj travel bureau is more than one. Among them AMPUH, Amphuri to Asbihu NU (Association of Bina Hajj and Umrah Nahdlatul Ulama). Their work in facilitating prospective pilgrims to carry out the fifth pillar of Islam is clearly very much needed.

Looking back, the role of the Hajj travel agency is very interesting. Especially if you look at how the Hajj travel agency was before independence. In colonial times, hajj travel bureaus became the focus for prospective pilgrims. There are many unique things in it. There was a trade competition between the colonial government and companies in Singapore, as well as a price war.

In the midst of the colonial era that was so tightly monitored, the hajj travel agencies during the Dutch East Indies era were able to dispatch many pilgrims. By offering a number of facilities, this hajj travel agency is able to attract prospective pilgrims to depart using its services. There are thousands of pilgrims who have been promoted by Hajj bureaus both based in Indonesia and Singapore.

There are several well-known names in the business of organizing this pilgrimage. Among his famous figures is Haji Umar Bugis. He is often a reference for the pilgrimage. Sheikh Umar Bugis is known as the first person to transport pilgrims on a special ship in 1825. In addition, there is the name Haji Muhammad Namzee and so on.

The emergence of a hajj travel agency during the Dutch East Indies era actually started in 1825. But before that, the transportation of pilgrims was still carried out by Arab and British traders who took embarkation in Singapore. In a note mentioned that in 1858 there was a British ship anchored in Batavia to transport prospective pilgrims. Arabs who were in Batavia also began to take advantage of this hajj business opportunity by buying a ship from the firm Besier en Jonkheim . With a capacity of 400 people, the congregation is transported by paying the ticket price from Batavia f 60, from Padang f50.

Competition for hajj companies also occurred during the Dutch East Indies era in the twenties. Although the Hajj ordinance no. 698/1922 regulates how to transport congregants, shipping requirements, and agent requirements, yet the government at that time also justified monopoly rights. The Haji Kongsi Tiga ship, which was entrusted with the monopoly on hajj transportation, arbitrarily charged f 250 round-trip fare. But as soon as a ship belonging to a Hong Kong Muslim cursed the hajj transport market in the Dutch East Indies, the fare for the Three Kongsi Ships surprisingly slid up to 80 Guilders.

With the increasing number of pilgrims, the Dutch government finally attracted to establish it. The reason is very clear because there are business benefits that will be obtained. Whereas previously the Dutch East Indies government was reluctant to establish a bureau for the recognition of pilgrims. Finally, there were three companies transporting pilgrims belonging to the colonial government, namely Netherland, Rotterdamsche and Ocean Maatschappij. In 1873 the Dutch government also established a hajj company in Java which operated in 1974.

Triple Share Monopoly

In its development, the colonial government formed a company under the name Konsi Tiga in 1877. Kongsi Tiga was a combination of the three companies that were formed in the Netherlands. This company was eventually granted monopoly rights for the transportation of pilgrims in the Dutch East Indies. The existence of this monopoly is certainly burdensome for the pilgrims.

In addition to having monopoly rights, pilgrims have to buy round-trip tickets. Of course this was profitable for the colonial government. Moreover, the purchase of this ticket must be paid for six months before the appointment at the bank that has been appointed. Ticket prices also increase according to price developments. For round-trip fare, Kongsi Tiga in 1895 set a price of f 120.-. Then the price of a round-trip ticket in 1915 was f 200. The price rose in 1920 to become f350.

So it is not surprising that many pilgrims are reluctant to use Kongsi Tiga to travel to the holy land. Arranged in 1873-1879, there were still a few who used the services of Kongsi Tiga, but in 1885 there were about 61 percent of pilgrims using the services of this company.

Apart from this Dutch-owned company, a number of other companies based in Singapore are also taking advantage of the Indonesian Hajj pilgrims. Indeed, until 1900 a number of Singaporean companies were still favorites for pilgrims. The reason is the ticket price is cheaper. There are several Hajj companies in Singapore. This company is a company that is often used by Indonesian pilgrims. Tickets are cheaper when compared to Dutch companies.

In 1895 the Dutch company set a ticket at f120 for a round trip. While the Hotline company only set a price of f 63.75. In 1920 the ticket price was f350 for the Dutch company and f260 for the Holtline company for a round trip ticket. To boost the company, Kongsi Tiga collaborated with several colleagues, including the Tajjudin Brother company which is engaged in finance.

This company lends money to pilgrims. However, with a cunning system, big profits have been taken by investors consisting of Tajuudin Brother, Sheikh Haji and Kongsi Tiga. A number of fertile lands in Banten were recorded as part of the redemption of the debts of the pilgrims. Even a researcher named J Vrendenbregt in his book entitled The Hadj, Some of its Feuture considers it the most extreme result of this method is the impoverishment of the pilgrims.