SAUDI Arabia will thoroughly study Malaysia’s request for an increase in the haj quota this year, said Saudi’s Haj and Umrah Minister Muhammad Saleh Taher Benten. 

He said the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had previously discussed the issue and had also made a decision regarding each country’s haj quota.

“The haj quota for each country has been allocated according to what has been discussed… Malaysia’s official quota had also been given, but there is a request for an increase and, of course, this necessitates a study.

“The request had been made through Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to the King of Saudi Arabia, King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud and, insyaAllah, will be studied from the standpoint of preparation and capacity to accommodate Malaysian pilgrims,” he said in a press conference with the media in Mecca in conjunction with the upcoming 14th OIC Summit tomorrow.

Themed “Makkah al-Mukarramah Summit: Hand in Hand Toward the Future”, the summit will be attended by leaders of OIC member states and seeks to develop a unified stance on events in the Islamic world.

Meanwhile, Saleh praised the management of Malaysian pilgrims by the country’s haj affairs administrators, describing it as systematic and polished.

“Thank you to Malaysia and Tabung Haji for the excellent administration and assistance rendered to haj pilgrims,” he said.

Earlier, TH chief executive officer Zukri Samat said Dr Mahathir had sent an official letter to the Saudi Arabian government requesting an increase in the haj quota for the pilgrimage this year but had yet to receive an official reply on the matter. – Bernama, May 30, 2019.