Warm welcome for first group of Malaysian haj pilgrims in Makkah

The sweet gesture will be etched in the memory of the first group of Malaysian pilgrims to arrive in Makkah last night at the Abraj Al Janadriyah building, which is the headquarters of Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) as well as the accommodation for pilgrims.

Head of the Malaysian Haj Delegation, Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman, said that the arrival of 295 pilgrims was warmly welcomed, not only by the management of TH but also by Syarikat Tewafah Asia Tenggara, which is directly involved in the itinerary of Malaysian pilgrims.

The pilgrims were the first group to leave Madinah, and those who left at about 2 pm yesterday (Saudi Arabian time), arrived safely at 10 pm.

"Alhamdulillah, the pilgrims are welcomed with the arrangements and preparations made by TH and Syarikat Tewafah Asia Tenggara. It shows good cooperation between the two parties in welcoming guests of Allah this year," he told reporters here.

Datuk Seri Syed Saleh said every pilgrim who had just arrived in Makkah, during the day or night, would be given special treatment by the Syarikat Tewafah Asia Tenggara, and served with 'nasi biryani' with various types of beverages.

The food will be delivered directly to their respective rooms, to allow the pilgrims to rest for a while before performing umrah, about two hours after their arrival.

Meanwhile, Syarikat Tewafah Asia Tenggara chairman, Adnan Husin Abdulah Mandura, said that his team always worked closely with the Malaysian government, and the arrival of the pilgrims this time was very special after waiting for almost two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that to ensure that Malaysian pilgrims can perform their worship properly, his team will provide for various needs and arrange preparations in an organised manner.

"We will strive to provide the best service for Malaysian pilgrims and maintain good relations with TH ... Insya-Allah we will provide services to pilgrims towards a blessed and successful haj," he said.