Malaysia seeks 10,000 additional Haj quota as Tabung Haji strengthens Saudi ties

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 — Malaysia has requested an additional 10,000 Haj quota, which will be duly considered by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

In a statement today, Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) said the request was made by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, during a courtesy visit to the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Tawfig Fawzan Al-Rabiah, in Jeddah recently.

The official meeting was held in conjunction with the annual Symposium and Hajj Exhibition 1446H, organised by the Saudi Arabian government from January 13 to 16 at the Superdome in Jeddah.

The event brought together Haj and Umrah operators from various countries and served as a platform for sharing aspirations on Haj management led by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

According to TH, Malaysia’s delegation included TH chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain, TH Group managing director and chief executive officer Syed Hamadah Syed Othman and senior TH management representatives.

“The delegates also had the opportunity to meet with several representatives of Haj operators and Hajj Affairs Offices from other countries to exchange views and share insights on improving Haj service delivery in their respective countries,” the statement read.

TH also stated that during the meeting, Malaysia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Hajj Affairs with the Saudi Arabian Government to further strengthen strategic cooperation, particularly in Haj management for the 1446H/2025M season.

Mohd Na’im signed the memorandum on behalf of the Malaysian government and Dr Tawfig Fawzan on behalf of Saudi Arabia.

The MoU includes agreements such as Malaysia’s official Haj quota of 31,600 pilgrims for the 1446H/2025M season and Malaysia’s commitment to adhere to guidelines regarding arrivals and departures through Madinah and Jeddah airports.

In addition, Malaysia agreed to finalise all contracts with various parties in Saudi Arabia earlier to ensure smoother management of pilgrims in the holy land.

In the statement, Mohd Na’im said the memorandum reflects the government and TH’s commitment to providing the best services for the pilgrims during this Haj season.

“Alhamdulillah, during this official visit, we formalised an agreement that further solidifies the longstanding close relationship between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

“This is a continuous effort by the government and TH to enhance the overall management of Malaysian Haj pilgrims and to open opportunities to improve the quality of TH’s services in the holy land through collaboration with various Saudi parties,” he said. — Bernama