He raised the proposal during a meeting with the Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, Tanzila Narbayeva, in Uzbekistan on Monday, local time.
In a written statement received in Jakarta, Muzani noted that direct flights would ease travel for Indonesians wishing to visit the tomb of Imam Bukhari in Uzbekistan before continuing their Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
“Uzbekistan’s religious tourism potential holds great appeal for Indonesian pilgrims who want to visit Imam Bukhari’s tomb before embarking on Umrah. This means that before performing Umrah in Mecca and Medina, Indonesian pilgrims can transit in Uzbekistan,” he said.
Beyond enhancing connectivity, Muzani and Narbayeva also discussed opportunities for cooperation in the halal industry.
He noted that both nations possess significant potential to develop the sector, given their shared status as Muslim-majority countries.
The MPR speaker assessed that the halal industry is now not only related to religious needs but has also developed into a global economic sector that continues to grow.
“The global Muslim population continues to grow rapidly and is projected to reach nearly 30 percent of the world’s total population by 2030. This represents a massive consumer base that requires assurance of products that align with Sharia principles,” he said.
Therefore, he hoped that Indonesia and Uzbekistan could strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in developing the halal industry.
Muzani also touched upon the long-standing historical ties between the two nations, highlighted by the visit of Indonesia’s first president, Soekarno, who had expressed a deep desire to visit the tomb of Imam Bukhari.
“From that point onward, friendship and bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Uzbekistan have continued to thrive to the present day,” he said, expressing hope that ties would further expand across the economic, tourism, and interparliamentary sectors.
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Translator: Bagus Ahmad, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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