Haj quota: TH waiting for Saudi Arabia's official statement - Zulkifli

IPOH: Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) is waiting for an official statement from the Saudi Arabian government on the additional haj quota which is expected to be issued around April, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.

He said in the meantime, TH would make the necessary preparation for haj pilgrims before they depart for the Holy Land.

"I'm confident that we will be notified around Ramadan. Although it is a short period of time to make preparation, TH will take it positively to prepare the pilgrims and settle all issues.

"We will wait for them (Saudi Arabian government) who has definitely considered the health and security aspects, not only in terms of the worship place but the haj pilgrims as well," he told reporters after handing over laptops to asnaf students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Perak at Dewan Besar Tabung Haji here, today.

It was reported that the Saudi Arabian government has agreed to give Malaysia an additional 10,000 places under the latter's haj quota when the haj situation returns to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin secured the additional quota during his meeting with the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, in Riyadh on Tuesday.