Haj quota may figure at Muhyiddin's audience with Saudi Crown Prince

RIYADH: A request for a bigger Haj quota is expected to be among important matters to be raised by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at his audience taking place now with the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, here Tuesday.

An increase in Malaysia's population has prompted the government to make the request.

According to Tabung Haji’s website, the Saudi Arabian government has set the haj quota for every country at 0.1% of the total population.

Apart from the haj quota, Muhyiddin is likely to raise matters on the Umrah pilgrimage too at the meeting with the Crown Prince, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, on the final day of his four-day official visit to this kingdom.

Malaysia is seeking approval and permission for Malaysian Umrah pilgrims to perform the ritual at the soonest possible opportunity.

Strengthening bilateral ties is also expected to be discussed during the audience.

In this respect, a Saudi-Malaysian Coordination Council is expected to be established.

It will serve as an overarching bilateral platform for regular consultation between both countries in multi-discipline sector cooperation.

On the promotion of Malaysian palm oil in this country, Muhyiddin is exploring the possibility of opening a Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) office in Saudi Arabia.

Trade and investment are also expected to be discussed by them including potential collaboration in the halal industry.

The prime minister who arrived in this country on Saturday landed in Makkah first to perform the Umrah and was given the opportunity to enter the Kaabah.

Muhyiddin then flew to Madinah on Sunday to visit the tomb of Prophet Muhammad and the Nabawi Mosque.

He arrived in this capital yesterday and was greeted by the Crown Prince himself.

The official visit, at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, is carried out under strict COVID-19 preventive standard operating procedures.

-- BERNAMA