TABUNG HAJI TO FORK OUT RM70 MIL FOR HAJ PILGRIMS

From Zulkefli Salleh

MECCA, Nov 20 (Bernama) - Tabung Haji (TH) has to fork out about RM70
million as additional operational cost for Malaysian pilgrims to perform their
Haj at the Holy City of Mecca this season.

Tabung Haji is the Malaysian hajj pilgrims fund board.

TH Finance Director for Operations Adi Azuan Abdul Ghani said the total sum
spent for operational expenses including accommodation in hotels, food & drinks
and payment to Muassasah, the Haj agency of Saudi Arabia, was about RM250
million.

"From the total, payment collected from Haj pilgrims, not including air
fare
would only reach around RM150 to RM200 million (US$1=RM3.60)," he told Malaysian
reporters accompanying the TH media team covering the pilgrimage, here
Wednesday.

He added that oil crisis which saw prices rocketing, had resulted in a
substantial rise in the cost of food for the pilgrims here.

"The price for two meals a day used to be SR17 (RM16) per pax but now has
increased to SR21 (RM20) per pax," he said.

He said under Muassasah, each pilgrim was charged RM8,973 for performing
the
Haj and from that sum RM6,300 goes for air fare.

Adi Azuan said the actual cost for a Malaysian pilgrim to perform the Haj,
was SR11,500 (RM11,155) and the sum was expected to increase to SR13,500
(RM13,155) for the next Haj season.

He added that TH had also set up facilities for withdrawing cash at almost
every location when Malaysian pilgrims were housed and they are able to withdraw
up to SR10,000 (RM9,700) a day from 7am to 12noon and 4.30pm to 10pm.

However, they are advised not to withdraw big amounts due to safety
reasons,
he said.

--BERNAMA