KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin has described the opportunity to perform the umrah in the early hours of Sunday morning as a responsibility to do his best so that Muslims in Malaysia can visit Makkah once again, and not a personal privilege.

Muhyiddin said he understood the longing among Malaysian Muslims to return to the Holy Land, adding that he was deeply grateful for the opportunity to perform the umrah last night.

“Yesterday, while performing the umrah and while in the Kaaba, I prayed on behalf of Muslims in Malaysia so that we will always be under His protection, the whole world be free from the (COVID-19) pandemic as well as for Muslims in Malaysia and all over the world to have the opportunity to return to the Holy Land as Allah’s guests,” he said in a posting on his official Facebook page last night.

Muhyiddin is in Saudi Arabia for a four-day official visit starting on Saturday at the invitation of the Saudi Arabian King and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

The Prime Minister, who completed his umrah at 10 pm on Saturday (3 am on Sunday Malaysian time), was also given the opportunity to enter the Kaaba.

Muhyiddin, who is the first head of foreign government allowed to enter the Kaaba after it was closed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, also shared a video of his umrah ritual with his wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman.

The prime minister said the kind gesture by King Salman in allowing him to enter Kaaba made him emotional and deeply grateful, saying that it was proof of the sense of brotherhood and respect for Muslims in Malaysia from the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He said the Saudi government paid serious attention to health care among Muslims and believed that the land of the prophets would soon be enlivened again with Muslims performing the umrah and making the pilgrimage.

"On behalf of the Government of Malaysia, I thank His Highness King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman, for inviting me to Saudi Arabia," said the prime minister.

Muhyiddin said yesterday that he and his wife visited Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) tomb in Madinah and the Nabawi Mosque before embarking on the official programme of his visit to Saudi Arabia.

The prime minister will be undertaking a four-day official visit from March 9 to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to meet with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Ruler of Dubai.

-- BERNAMA