THE government will have to wait for an announcement from Saudi Arabia before it can announce this year’s haj pilgrimage plan, Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

“Whether the haj is allowe depends on Saudi Arabia. They have not made any announcements.

“Because of that, we cannot make any announcement. We have to wait what the Saudi government has to say,” said the defence minister.

In April, Saudi’s haj minister Mohammad Benten asked Muslims to defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage amid uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia suspended the year-round umrah pilgrimage over fears of the new coronavirus spreading to Islam’s holiest cities, an unprecedented move that raised uncertainty over the annual haj.

The pilgrimage – which last year attracted 2.5 million people – is a key revenue earner for the kingdom. But it could be a major source of contagion as it packs pilgrims closely in religious sites.

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia suspended prayers inside all its mosques except the two holiest sites in Islam as it increased efforts to contain the new coronavirus.

The announcements risk riling fringe Muslim hardliners, for whom religion trumps health considerations. – May 20, 2020.