RIYADH: Malaysia has been granted an additional haj quota of 10,000 which will be implemented after Covid-19 is under control and the haj operations can resume.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the matter had been agreed on by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman when met during a meeting at Al Yamamah Palace here, yesterday evening (local time).
Speaking the local media in a press conference shortly before his departure to Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, he said Prince Mohammed also reacted positively to Malaysia's request for additional haj quota when the haj season is allowed to resume.
He also explained that there were currently around 3.6 million Malaysian haj pilgrims who have been registered with Tabung Haji to perform the annual religious duty, which would take as long as 130 years for their turn to perform the haj to come.
"This is good news. The only thing is to find out when the full quota (for Malaysian pilgrims) will be granted by Saudi Arabia, not only for Malaysia but for other countries as well."
To another question, Muhyiddin said the Saudi government had yet to make a decision to allow haj this year, including the number of pilgrims allowed for haj this year.
"We have to understand the decision because of the pandemic, and last year (for haj) I was informed that the approval to perform the haj was only given to those who live here.
"When I was in Makkah and Madinah, I saw how strict the authorities are in managing the pilgrims in order to curb the virus from spreading, so I understand this very well."
He said the Saudi government also had to come up with the standard operating procedure (SOP) for haj and umrah, which had to be strictly followed by all countries.
Muhyiddin also said the Crown Prince had explained that the two holy cities Makkah and Madinah were still being developed for expansion, to enable them to take more pilgrims for haj and umrah in the future.
He said the 'Mecca Road Services', an initiative that was inked in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during this trip, was also created towards a better management of the pilgrims, especially in matters relating to the logistics of pilgrims' pre-departure to Saudi Arabia.