Malaysia hopes Saudi Arabia allows foreign pilgrims to perform haj this year - Idris

KUALA TERENGGANU: Malaysia is hoping that Saudi Arabia will allow foreign pilgrims to perform the haj this year despite the global threat posed by the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Idris Ahmad said the government would hold a meeting with the Saudi government next month at the latest to discuss matters related to the annual pilgrimage, including retaining the annual quota of 30,000 pilgrims.

"As of our last meeting in December last year, foreign pilgrims are still allowed to perform the haj this year and the Saudi government had no intention to announce otherwise.

"However, we do hope that (the Omicron variant of) COVID-19 will not be the reason for Saudi Arabia to restrict or deny entry to foreign pilgrims to perform the haj.

"So far, they (Saudi Arabia) are only implementing physical distancing among the pilgrims to curb infection risk," he said at the Terengganu Islamic Education Convention 2021 at the Islamic Civilisation Park here today, which was also attended by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

For the 2021 haj season, Saudi Arabia restricted the haj pilgrimage to no more than 60,000 pilgrims, all of whom were from within the kingdom.

-- BERNAMA