MECCA: Pilgrims have been reminded to focus on their haj, and not to be affected by rumours circulating in social media.
Haj delegation head Datuk Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman advised pilgrims to verify with Tabung Haji (TH) on the authenticity of social media reports relating to haj matters.
“This is to curb misinformation and old news items that cause distress to the pilgrims and their family members.
“These are irresponsible acts. TH counters these allegations by holding frequent briefings and lectures for the pilgrims.”
To a suggestion for TH to pro-
vide money exchange services,
Syed Saleh said there were strict licensing conditions for this to be done.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom had two days ago refuted a report claiming that pilgrims in Saudi were facing difficulty changing their ringgit to riyal.
He had said that based on TH's checks, Malaysian pilgrims did not face such a problem.
He had also pointed out that all transactions in Saudi were done in riyal, rubbishing the portal’s report claiming that pilgrims could not pay in ringgit to buy food at a hotel restaurant in Madinah.
A member of the Malaysian team did not encounter any problems changing his ringgit to riyal here last night.
Meanwhile, Syed Saleh said TH received its first batch of 473 pilgrims, and 16 volunteers and staff who flew into Jeddah and travelled straight into Mecca.
Prior to yesterday, Malaysian pilgrims had travelled to Madinah first and stayed there before entering Mecca.
The latest arrivals brings the total number of pilgrims here to 11,934. Pilgrims will enter Mecca directly until Sept 4, before preparation for haj begins.
Syed Saleh advised pil-
grims to watch their safety and health, especially since the temperature now hovered between 41°C and 44°C.
Deputy haj delegation (medical) head Dr Saiful Azlan Sharif said other than minor cases of flu, cough and respiratory infection, there had also been serious illnesses, including heatstroke.
Present at the press conference was deputy haj chief Nurrin Anuwar Shamsuddin.