Increase Number Of Malaysian Pilgrims In Holy Land This Year

By Elmi Rizal Elias MINA (Saudi Arabia), Sept 2 (Bernama) – The excellent relations between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia have resulted in 31,300 Malaysian Haj pilgrims in the Holy Land in this season, up by 1,100 from the 30,200 announced earlier, it was stated here Thursday. Tabung Haji chairman Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim said the information was contained in a Tabung Haji report. “According to a Tabung Haji management report, as of today (Thursday), the number of Malaysian Haj pilgrims in Arafah is 31,300,” he said to Malaysian journalists in Arafah Thursday. Earlier, Abdul Azeez had accompanied Malaysian Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki on a visit to the camps in Arafah accommodating Malaysian pilgrims. Abdul Azeez also said that as of Thursday, 20 Malaysian pilgrims had died in the Holy Land and 12 were under treatment at hospitals in Makkah, four of whom were in a coma. “As for the pilgrims who are ailing and unable to perform the ‘wukuf’, we will return to them the RM9,980, and Tabung Haji will give them preference to undertake the Haj next year,” he said. On Thursday night, Malaysian pilgrims began to proceed to Muzdalifah in batches to spend the night and move on towards Mina. In Mina, the pilgrims will perform the ‘stoning of the devil’ ritual at Jamrah Kubra on Friday and at Jamrah Sughra, Jamrah Wusta and Jamrah Kubra on Sept 2, 3 and 4. -- BERNAMA