PILGRIMS FUND PERSONNEL READY TO WELCOME MALAYSIAN PILGRIMS

From Ahmad Kamil Tahir

MEDINA, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- The Pilgrims Fund Board (Tabung Haji) is all
geared up to welcome about 26,000 Malaysian pilgrims who will be performing the
fifth tenet of Islam for the year 1403 Hijrah.

Its chief operating officer, Kamaruddin Ali, said all the necessary
preparations such as accommodation and health facilities were ready when the
first group of 450 Malaysian pilgrims who were expected to arrive at the haj
terminal, here on Tuesday.

"The final preparations are actively being handled by 132 medical and
welfare personnel who had arrived in Medina four days ago to meet the needs of
the pilgrims including for medical treatment, cash withdrawal and so on," he
told Malaysian journalists covering the haj pilgrimage this year.

Kamaruddin, who is also the deputy head of the Haj delegation, said all
preparations currently were being centred in Medina because the Malaysian
pilgrims would be in Medina for eight days before leaving for the holy city of
Mecca for the umrah and haj rituals.

Asked on the actual number of haj personnel assigned in Medina and Mecca
this year, he said the actual figure had yet to be determined as it would depend
on the requirement.

"The number of personnel will be increased when the number of pilgrims
arriving at the holy land increases," he said.
-- BERNAMA