No one can blame prospective Indonesian haj pilgrims who tried to reach Mecca via the Philippines. There may have been fraud, and for those responsible, the law must take its course. But these operators were simply trying to make use of an opportunity unavailable in their own country. Rather than wait for years to make the haj, they found a way in a neighboring country.

The change in policy is erratic. At the end of last year, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman banned the import of offal, arguing that it was animal feedunfit for human consumption. Now, in an about-face, he is allowing imports of offal because it is a public necessity.