Majority of Malaysian Haj pilgrims who lose their way are men

Most of the Malaysian Haj pilgrims who reportedly lost their way from their place of accommodation here between Sept 3 and yesterday are men aged 51 to 70, especially the first timers.

Tabung Haji Customer Service Centre manager for this Haj season, Jamaludin Ahmad said they were among 55 Malaysian pilgrims, comprising 32 men and 23 women, who reportedly lost their way back during the period.

To address the problem, he said 16 Tabung Haji patrol unit members, clad in red T- shirts and wearing the Tabung Haji badge, had been stationed round the clock at strategic locations, especially at the exits of Masjidil Haram (Grand Mosque).

They comprised Tabung Haji security guards and members of the Malaysian Armed Forces Religious Corps and the Royal Malaysian Police, he told the Malaysian media here.

The Malaysian pilgrims are provided accommodation in three zones, namely Shuib Amir, Al Sud/ Bir Balilah and Misfalah and Hafa’er.

Jamaludin said he expected more pilgrims to get lost during the wukuf (grand assembly) in Arafah and during the time when they had to spend a night (mabit) at Muzdalifah and Mina.

“This happens when they have to go to the toilets and then cannot find their way back to their tents as all the tents there look the same,” he said, adding that more members of the Tabung Haji patrol unit would be mobilised to assist the pilgrims.

He said pilgrims were always reminded to walk in a group and to always wear their identification tag like the wrist band, lanyard with the tag and carry the sling bag provided by Tabung Haji as all these make it easier to detect them.

Meanwhile, as of yesterday, 11,724 of the 22,320 Malaysian pilgrims have arrived for the Haj pilgrimage, with 5,325 of them already in Makkah. — Bernama