ANOTHER RECOGNITION FOR TABUNG HAJI, M'SIAN PILGRIMS

From Zulkefli Salleh

MADINAH, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysian pilgrims will be exempted from having their passports checked to enter Madinah from Mekah during the next Haj season.

Tabung Haji (Pilgrim Fund, that assists Muslims in saving gradually towards
their pilgrimage) head of Haj delegation Mohd Salleh Abd Muvin said all the Haj
pilgrims travelling from Mekah to Madinah were required to stop at the Al-Hijrah
Station to have their passports checked.

"This takes time and the exemption for Malaysian pilgrims is a relief for
them," he told Malaysian reporters after calling on the director-general of
Saudi Arabia's Haj Ministry, Madinah sector, Hassan Al-Bakri, at his office here
Sunday.

Also present was Malaysia's Haj Consul in Saudi Arabia Khalid
Noordin.

Mohd Salleh said Saudi Arabia decided to implement the new move with
Malaysia as the first country to be given the honour in recognition of Malaysian
pilgrims' high level of discipline and Malaysia's well-organised Haj management.

He said Saudi Arabia was full of praise for Tabung Haji's model Haj
management that could be emulated by other governments and the exemplary
behaviour of Muslim pilgrims who always adhered to the rules and procedures
enforced by Saudi Arabia

Mohd Salleh said Tabung Haji only needed to show the accommodation
documents to enable Malaysian pilgrims to enjoy the exemption on passport
checking to enter Madinah.

Meanwhile, almost 4,000 Malaysian pilgrims arrived in Madinah until Sunday
night via 10 Haj flights since Thursday.

The holy city of Madinah where the tomb of Prophet Muhammad and An-Nabawi
Mosque (Prophet's Mosque) are located, is teeming with pilgrims from Turkey,
Pakistan and Indonesia who arrived since last week.