Prospective pilgrims advised to get ready should haj pilgrimage be allowed this year

KUALA LUMPUR: The Pilgrims Fund Board or Tabung Haji (TH) has advised prospective Malaysian pilgrims to be prepared as the Saudi Arabian government may allow foreign pilgrims to perform the Haj this year.

Its executive director Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman said all prospective pilgrims should be physically, spiritually and financially prepared as well as equipped with the required knowledge.

TH had been organising the basic Haj courses online since the beginning of this year and the main Haj course would be held online in the month of Syawal for the pilgrims to gain practical knowledge and have an idea of performing the Haj under the present situation," he said in a statement today. .

Syed Saleh was commenting on a statement from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah that the Haj pilgrimage would continue this year provided the pilgrims complied with all health, safety and regulatory standards and regulations in an effort to ensure the safety, health and well-being of all pilgrims.

In addition he said the Saudi Arabian health authorities would continue to assess and take all measures to ensure that the health of the pilgrims is protected and details on the operational planning and control for this year's Haj season would be announced later.

TH-PILGRIMS 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

Syed Saleh said the pilgrims should also be prepared to take the mandatory meningococcal injection and COVID-19 vaccine when called by the Health Ministry so that the vaccination process meets the stipulated timeframe, apart from going for their health checks.

He said initial preparations for the 2021 pilgrimage had begun since last year, taking into account every standard operating procedure (SOP) and health protocol as well as the new norms to be observed by TH operations at home and in Saudi Arabia.

Although preparations have been made for the Haj pilgrimage, he said the Malaysian government and TH are still waiting for the official announcement from the Saudi Arabian government on the pilgrimage and the number of pilgrims allowed this year.

"TH will inform of the latest developments as soon as it receives the official announcement regarding the Haj quota, criteria and the main conditions that must be complied with by all pilgrims who will be making this spiritual journey," he said.

-- BERNAMA