THE government will announce the financial assistance from the Pilgrims’ Fund Board for those going for the haj pilgrimage this year after Saudi Arabia has finalised the cost and standard operating procedure (SOP) for the pilgrimage.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Idris Ahmad said the Saudi Arabia government had increased its value added tax (VAT), which was introduced in 2018, from 5% to 15%.

He said there would also a new requirement on room sharing will also impact the overall pilgrimage cost.

With Covid-19 restrictions in place, fewer pilgrims will be allowed to share a room that used to accommodate six to seven people, he told a media conference.

Idris said the Malaysian government could only finalise on the amount of the subsidy, as well as the total cost of the Haj pilgrimage, after the announcement by the Saudi Arabian government.

Meanwhile, Tabung Haji (TH) board chairman Azman Mokhtar said the distribution of TH’s profit would be announced at end of the month after the matter had been finalised. – Bernama, February 14, 2022.