Malaysia's haj quota remains at 22,320 - TH

Malaysia's haj quota for this year remains the same as last year at 22,230, according to Pilgrims Fund Board (TH) Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Ismee Ismail.

He said this was decided by the Saudi Arabian government during the Haj ministers' meeting, which he and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom attended two months ago.

"I'm sure they (Saudi Arabia) have made this decision based on their estimates on the ongoing construction of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, besides taking into account the safety and comfort of the pilgrims."

Ismee said this to reporters after handing over TH business tithe for 2015 amounting to RM2.78 million to the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MUIP) at Istana Abdul Aziz here today.

The ceremony was graced by the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who is also MUIP president.

The quota of 22,320 pilgrims was set in 2013 following the decision of the Saudi government to reduce the previous quota of 29,700 pilgrims by 20 per cent, due to the expansion and development works at the Grand Mosque.

Meanwhile, commenting on the payment of compensation to the families of seven Malaysian pilgrims who were killed in the crane-collapse incident at the Grand Mosque on Sept 11 last year, Ismee said the matter was still being finalised.

"They (the Saudi government) are still finalising the payment of compensation. There is no consensus yet on how the compensation money will be paid, but we believe it will be done in the near future," he said.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency had ordered the payment of SR1 million (RM1.14 million) to the families of those killed, SR1 million to those who were permanent disabled, and SR500,000 to each person who was injured.