Malaysian pilgrims arrive in Arafah

All Malaysian pilgrims arrived in Arafah Sunday night and are awaiting the 'wukuf' (grand assembly).

Tabung Haji (TH) delegation head Datuk Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman said the arrival of Malaysian pilgrims one day earlier was a new record for TH as pilgrims usually arrived as late as 3 pm on Zulhijjah 9 (Day of Arafah).

He said 425 buses were deployed to transport the pilgrims from Makkah to Arafah, with the last bus arriving at 1.30 am local time (4.30 am in Malaysia).

"The mobilisation of pilgrims proceeded smoothly and the traffic was not so congested due to a 20 per cent reduction in the quota of pilgrims this year as well as the Saudi Arabian government's tight control on the entry of pilgrims who do not have a valid Haj visa this season," he told reporters here Monday.

All Malaysian pilgrims were in good health and the temperature in Arafah early Sunday morning was 45 degrees Celsius, dropping to 35 degrees at night.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom is scheduled to give a 'zohor' prayer sermon at noon and the pilgrims would be on their own to pray after the 'asar' prayer.

At midnight, all pilgrims will leave for Muzdalifah to spend the night or at least stop over to collect stones before going to Mina for the 'stoning of the devil' ritual.