TH wants to use Malaysian students as guides during haj season

Tabung Haji (TH) hopes the Saudi Arabian government will allow it to use Malaysian students and Saudi Arabian citizens as guides during the next haj season.

Chairman Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim said the proposal to use them as guides or 'muttawil' is being studied by the Saudi Arabian government, especially from the legal aspect.

"The proposal is very good but indepth study must be made as we want to protect the good reputation of TH, the government and pilgrims," he told reporters said after visiting the family of pilgrim Zolkifali Wahab who died in Makkah on Monday.

During the visit at the home of Zolkifali's sister-in-law in Taman Kelisa, Abdul Azeez presented TH donation of RM1,500 to Zolkifali's father Wahab Saad,77.

Zolkifali,57, was the tenth Malaysian pilgrim to have died during the haj pilgrimage in the holy land. Abdul Azeez said that if the propsal was accepted by the Saudi Arabian government, then the number of TH staff in the holy land could be reduced from 1,800 to 1,000 people and their places could be filled by pilgrims.

"In this way, we can reduce the waiting period for haj pilgrims. However, the Saudi Arabian government regulations cannot be ignored although authorities over there regard Malaysian pilgrims as a disciplined lot," he added.