MAKKAH: I REMEMBER when I was young hearing my grandparents, aunties and uncles talking about Malaysian pilgrims going missing while performing their haj.
However, my world revolved around Mickey Mouse and other cartoon characters, so I didn’t think much of it.
Fast forward to the present and the issue was raised during an interview with Tabung Haji (TH) operations (guidance) director Tengku Aziz Raja Abdullah recently.
The issue of missing Malaysian pilgrims that occurred decades ago led to the inception of the TH Warga Emas (Elderly) programme.
Tengku Aziz said prior to the programme, which was established 18 years ago, several Malaysian pilgrims went missing with three or four people lost in each haj season.
“After exhausting all the resources to find them, we would wait for seven years before declaring them dead.”
Asked if any of the missing pilgrims had appeared after those seven years, Tengku Aziz replied with a firm: “No.”
He said there were zero cases of missing pilgrims since the introduction of the TH Warga Emas programme, in which a TH officer is tasked with accompanying and assisting an elderly pilgrim throughout the mashae’er period.
“The selected elderly pilgrims will be assisted, among others, to go to the toilet and to change their clothes.
“We also help them in their ibadah by providing religious experts to guide them and fill their time with zikir (remembering Allah).”
For this year’s haj, Tengku Aziz said 50 elderly pilgrims would be selected for the programme.
“Some 140 people applied up to Sunday. After the vetting process, we shortlisted 90 candidates and 31 have been chosen.”
One of the applicants is Lasiah Din from Penang.
The 72-year-old, who has difficulty walking and uses a wheelchair, hoped she would be chosen for the programme.
“My mind will be at peace knowing that I have someone assisting me during mashae’er.
“I want to pray for good health and get a mabrur (accepted by Allah) haj,” said the former Kemas teacher, whose husband died a long time ago. She does not have any children.
Another applicant is army veteran Che Hamzah Ngah Ismail, 80, from Perak. He came to the Holy Land accompanied by his wife, Naemah Abu Shariff, 75, to perform the haj.
Che Hamzah depends on his wife to carry out his daily chores.
In the Holy Land, Che Hamzah was assisted by his roommates, who remind him to take his meals, perform solat and take his bath.
When I look around at the elderly pilgrims waiting to be interviewed, I understand the reason we are encouraged to perform the haj at a young age, once we have the means and are qualified to do so.
My heart goes out to all the frail and elderly pilgrims with a doa that Allah will ease the path for them to get a mabrur haj. Aamiin