PETALING JAYA (Selangor, Malaysia), Dec 22 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysian government will discuss with the Saudi Arabian government on the conditions and flexibilities for pilgrims from this country to perform haj next year.
Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH or the Malaysian hajj pilgrims fund board) group managing director and chief executive officer, Nik Mohd Hasyudeen Yusoff said the discussion would also touch on whether Malaysian pilgrims should be given COVID-19 vaccination or not.
“Usually, we will have a meeting with the Saudi Arabian government and they will explain the situation and conditions. God willing, when everything is clear, we will plan accordingly. For now, it is too early and we will have to wait for the meeting.”
He said this at a news conference Monday after the signing of an agreement between TH and Bukit Damansara Development Sdn Bhd to purchase Menara VSQ 1, here, witnessed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.
Nik Mohd Hasyudeen was asked to comment on TH’s efforts in convincing the Saudi Arabian government to provide some flexibilities to haj pilgrims from this country as Malaysia is expected to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the first quarter of next year.
However, he did not elaborate on when the meeting will be held.
He said TH was also waiting for clarification from the Saudi Arabian government on the haj ext year.
For the first time in history, only 10,000 pilgrims from all over the world were allowed to perform haj this year compared with 2.5 million in 2019, in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Nik Mohd Hasyudeen said TH was committed to finding new opportunities to increase investments in property, equity or income, thus providing sustainable benefits and returns to TH’s nine million depositors.
— NNN-BERNAMA
