Govt to continue providing haj subsidy to all pilgrims - Idris

KOTA BHARU: The government will continue to provide haj subsidy to pilgrims despite proposals that it should be given on a targeted basis, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Idris Ahmad.

He said haj assistance will continue to be provided to all groups, adding that the formula will be given soon.

"We don't call it a subsidy, we name it haj assistance. This is not government's money as the subsidy is taken from the profits generated from the deposits," he told reporters after opening Kelantan Mawaddah Family Development Centre (Mawaddah Centre), here today.

There was a proposal to implement targeted haj subsidies with priority given to the B40 group given the increase in muassasah pilgrim cost of up to RM25,000 per pilgrim which will force Tabung Haji to provide a huge amount of subsidy if the payment to perform haj remains at RM9,980 per pilgrim.

On the actual haj cost to be paid by pilgrims, Idris said the amount would be announced after getting the haj quota from the Saudi government.

"InsyaAllah, the cost will not burden the pilgrims, at the same time, I have also requested for additional haj quota by sending an appeal letter to the Saudi government," he said.

In another development, Idris said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) will cooperate with executive councillors in charge of family development nationwide to tackle divorce problems in the country, adding that the effort would involve counselling and training of trainers.

He said this when asked to comment on media reports saying that Kelantan and Selangor registered the highest divorce cases in Malaysia citing sexual problems among women as one of the reasons.

-- BERNAMA