Malaysia will plead for additional Haj quota - Najib

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the reduction in quota last year led to higher number of Tabung Haji (TH) depositors and a longer queue for Muslims wanting to perform the Haj.

He said until May, a total of 1.5 million Muslims had registered to perform Haj via TH with a large number comprising young people and children.

"The economy of Muslims in this country has improved and with it comes high awareness to perform Haj. The list is getting longer and the limited quota means a pilgrim has to wait 50 years for his turn to arrive.

"I consider this as a big challenge. I will personally plead with the Saudi government for additional haj quota," he said at the launch of Kad Tabung Haji Debit-i Mastercard and Tabung Haji Coffee Table Book, here today.

Since 2009, the Saudi government had allocated 27,900 places per year for Malaysians to perform Haj but declined by 20 percent last year due to expansion work at Masjidil Haram.

"As such, the new Haj quota for Malaysia last year was 22,320."

TH will maintain the Haj fee at RM9,980 this year involving total cost of more than RM130 million.

Najib said the actual cost for each pilgrim to perform the haj is about RM16,000.

"If calculated in terms of subsidy, it is the highest subsidy rate ever given to each individual in this country," he added.

Kad Tabung Haji Debit Card-i Mastercard provides depositors with 24-hour facilities to make transactions and purchases at over 38 million business locations worldwide.

At the event, Najib also launched the TH Coffee Table Book documenting significant events during 50 years of its establishment.

TH's book was published in collaboration with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama).