PM: Higher haj quota due to exemplary M’sian pilgrims

KELANA JAYA: The exemplary behaviour exhibited by Malaysian pilgrims was a contributing factor to the increase of the haj quota this year.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said this at the sendingoff ceremony of Malaysian pilgrims to the Holy Land at the Tabung Haji Complex here yesterday.

Najib said the increase in the haj quota this year was made possible not only through government efforts and the close relationship it shared with the Saudi Arabian government, but also by the good behaviour shown by Malaysian pilgrims.

“Our pilgrims can be an example to others,” he said, adding that Saudi Arabian ambassador to Malaysia Mahmoud Hussein Qattan acknowledged that pilgrims from Malaysia were the bestbehaved.

The haj quota for Malaysians was increased from 27,900 to 30,200 pilgrims following discussions held during King Salman Abdulaziz’s official visit to Malaysia early this year.

Najib, accompanied by wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, saw off 420 pilgrims scheduled to depart from KL International Airport at 9.30pm to Saudi Arabia.

They were the second batch of pilgrims to be flown off to Medina, after the first batch left early yesterday morning.

The pilgrims will be flown on 112 flights between now and Aug 26, using Malaysian Airlines and Saudi Arabia’s Flynas aircraft.

Also present at the ceremony were Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and Mahmoud Hussein.