KUALA LUMPUR – The proposed shortening of the haj period for Malaysian pilgrims, especially for those under the muassasah system, would not help Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) reduce the pilgrimage’s cost, the Dewan Negara was told today.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said shortening the period would make pilgrims stay in Mecca and Medina during the peak of the haj, contributing to increased costs.
“For the muassasah package managed by TH, the length of stay for pilgrims is between 40 and 45 days.
“In general, by shortening the duration of the muassasah package, the pilgrims will travel to Saudi Arabia and stay in Mecca and Medina during peak season, when the price of flight tickets and building rentals is very high,” he said during the Senate question-and-answer session.
He said this in reply to a question from Senator Datuk Mohd Hisamudin Yahaya on whether the government was willing to consider the proposal in order to reduce costs.
According to Na’im, TH has moved to ensure no annual haj cost increase by signing long-term contracts with several parties in Saudi Arabia – involving flights, accommodation, meals, and various other services for Malaysian pilgrims.
TH Group managing director and chief executive Datuk Seri Amrin Awaluddin was previously reported saying the pilgrimage’s cost has increased to RM30,850 this year compared with RM28,632 last year. – Bernama, April 6, 2023
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