TRAINING FOR M'SIAN STUDENT VOLUNTEERS HELPING PILGRIMS

From Abdul Aziz Harun
MEDINA (Bernama) - Sixteen Islamic University of Madinah students
from Malaysia underwent practical training Friday to serve as volunteers to help
Malaysian pilgrims.

The group, with media officials from the Pilgrims Management and Fund Board
(Tabung Haji), were taken on a visit to historical places such as the Quba
Mosque, Uhud Hill, Kiblatin Mosque and the Seven Mosques by a final-year student
at the university, Mohammad Asshik Abu Hanifah.

Muhammad Asshik, 26, who has been a "muzawir" or volunteer for five years,
said the training would enable the students to serve more efficiently.

"The voluntary work has been carried out for many years with the cooperation
of Tabung Haji. But from last year, it was reinforced with the volunteers being
given practical training," he told the Tabung Haji media when taking the group
to several historical sites here.

Muhammad Asshik, who is from Temerloh, Pahang, said the training was
oriented towards ensuring that the running of the religious pilgrimage programme
kept to the module specified by Tabung Haji.Tabung Haji is the Malaysian hajj pilgrims fund board.