Jakarta, Jan. 7 -- Indonesia's government is working to lower the cost of the annual Hajj pilgrimage for its citizens by building a dedicated Hajj Village in Mecca, increasing flights and shortening pilgrims' stays in Saudi Arabia, officials said Tuesday.

State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said President Prabowo Subianto had instructed ministers to push Hajj costs as low as possible through multiple policy scenarios aimed at easing the financial burden on pilgrims.

"Our goal is to make it as affordable as possible, because in the end we want to reduce the cost of Hajj for our pilgrims using various approaches," Hadi told reporters in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java.

One key measure is the construction of an Indonesia-managed Hajj Village, allow...