PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today the government will bear the RM1,000 increase in cost for each B40 haj pilgrim this year.

He said this was a change implemented by the unity government in providing subsidies for Muslims in the country to perform the pilgrimage.

“We make changes for the B40 group… Although during the previous administration, the cost for the B40 group increased by RM1,000 and by right, there will also be an increase of RM1,000 this year. (But) I think they don’t need to bear the cost,” he said in his winding-up speech at the 2023 PKR Special National Congress in Shah Alam.

“The RM1,000 increase will be borne by the Finance Ministry.”

As for the M40 group, Anwar, who is also finance minister, said the cost rose by RM3,000 while those from the T20 group will have to bear the total cost of performing haj.

“This is how we look at what was not done by the previous administration because last year, it (the cost) still increased,” he said.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Mohd Na’im Mokhtar was reported to have said that the cost of performing haj this year is expected to increase by more than RM2,000 to RM30,850 per person. – Bernama, March 18, 2023.