First group of Malaysian haj pilgrims arrive home safely

SEPANG: The first group of 298 Malaysian haj pilgrims arrived safely at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 9.05 am today via Saudi Airlines flight SV 5612 from Jeddah.

At the airport to welcome them home were Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary and Tabung Haji (TH) chairman Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar.

Ahmad Marzuk said 49 Malaysia Airlines (MH) and Saudia Airlines flights were provided to bring all 14,305 Malaysian pilgrims home, starting yesterday until Aug 13.

"The pilgrims will return in stages according to the schedule set by TH. Alhamdulillah, the haj operations this year went smoothly.

"All pilgrims were able to perform their acts of worship during haj safely, comfortably and properly amid the hot weather of almost 50 degrees Celsius," he said.

However, Ahmad Marzuk said there were 32 Malaysian pilgrims still receiving treatment for heatstroke at a hospital in Makkah.

"Alhamdulilah, they are all in stable condition...we have also advised those who are still there to take care of their health," he said.

Meanwhile, Azman expressed gratitude to all parties involved in this year's haj operations, especially the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Malaysia

"TH is very grateful to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Southeast Asian Muassasah and all agencies involved in the haj operations here and in the holy land," he said.

A pilgrim, Muhammad Anas Rosdi, 26, who is also a volunteer in the TH's Sahabat Maktab programme, said being able to perform the fifth pillar of Islam and at the same time help elderly pilgrims in completing the haj rituals were among the sweetest memories for him this year.

He said as a volunteer, he also helped in the distribution of food, especially to elderly or ailing pilgrims.

"If the elderly pilgrims were unable to walk, we, the volunteers, will be there to push them in a wheelchair," he told reporters when met at the airport

Head of Malaysian Haj Delegation Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman previously said that 175 pilgrims participated in the Sahabat Maktab programme in the holy land.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Anas' sister, Nur Syafiqah, 29, said among the challenges they faced during the pilgrimage was the extremely hot weather in Makkah.

"Alhamdulillah, all pilgrims were still able to complete their acts of worship with the help from TH," said Nur Syafiqah who is also accompanied by her husband, Mohd Nor Hanafi Latif, 33.

Another pilgrim, Md Radzi Md Lazim, 41, from Kelantan praised TH for its success in managing the haj operations well this year after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- BERNAMA