Up to 1.3 million depositors with the Pilgrims Management and Fund Board (Tabung Haji) are on the waiting list to perform the haj, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said 14,000 of these people were senior citizens according to Tabung Haji's definition, that is aged 75 and above.
Jamil Khir was replying to a supplementary question from Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (BN-Setiu) during question time in the house.
To the first question from the MP, he said 21,960 Malaysians performed the haj this year and that highest number of pilgrims came from Selangor, some 4,372, followed by Johor (2,814) and Kedah (2,158).
"Up to 8,689 pilgrims or 40% of the total were aged between 50 and 59; some 5,575 or 25%, between 60 and 69 and 4,604 or 21%, between 40 and 49," he said.
Jamil Khir said those who had performed the haj once would be disallowed from registering for the second trip until after five years and, even then, they would not be accorded priority.
"However, a relaxation will be given to those who had encountered problems during their first haj and were unable to fulfill certain aspects of the pilgrimage," he said.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said 14,000 of these people were senior citizens according to Tabung Haji's definition, that is aged 75 and above.
Jamil Khir was replying to a supplementary question from Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (BN-Setiu) during question time in the house.
To the first question from the MP, he said 21,960 Malaysians performed the haj this year and that highest number of pilgrims came from Selangor, some 4,372, followed by Johor (2,814) and Kedah (2,158).
"Up to 8,689 pilgrims or 40% of the total were aged between 50 and 59; some 5,575 or 25%, between 60 and 69 and 4,604 or 21%, between 40 and 49," he said.
Jamil Khir said those who had performed the haj once would be disallowed from registering for the second trip until after five years and, even then, they would not be accorded priority.
"However, a relaxation will be given to those who had encountered problems during their first haj and were unable to fulfill certain aspects of the pilgrimage," he said.
