MECCA, April 14 (Bernama) -- The Pilgrims Fund Board (Tabung Haji (TH))
has rented 11 buildings to accommodate 28,000 Malaysian haj pilgrims
for this year's haj season, with each building located not more than one
kilometre away from the Grand Mosque here.
Source from (Bernama): http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v7/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=941892
Published: April 14, 2013
TH chairman Tan Sri Abi Musa Asa'ari Mohamed Nor said the effort to rent
the buildings in close vicinity of the Grand Mosque was indeed
challenging, but with determination of TH staff and the good
relationship that existed between TH and the Saudi government enabled it
to become a reality.
He said TH had to rent new buildings for this year's haj season because
some of the buildings rented by TH in the previous haj season had been
demolished by the Saudi Arabian authority to make way for the expansion
of the Grand Mosque and the holy city of Mecca.
At the same time, TH has also been planning to rent larger buildings
that can accommodate more pilgrims to ease the pilgrim management
process for the TH staff, but it all depends on the availability, he
told a press conference in Mecca.
Abi Musa is here to monitor the development of TH operation for this
year's haj season. Last Wednesday, he held a meeting with the Saudi
Arabian Haj Ministry to discuss their preparations.
He said ongoing expansion project around the Grand Mosque would probably
cause some inconveniences to the haj pilgrims from all over the world,
including Malaysia as well.
However, all pilgrims were advised to show a little understanding of the
situation as the project was implemented to make haj pilgrimage more
comfortable for the pilgrims in the future, he said.
Abi Musa said the Saudi government had instructed the expansion works to
be stopped for four months from the beginning of Ramadan to make way
for the haj season.
The expansion project was launched by the King of Saudi Arabia King
Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz in August 2011 involving a cost of SR80 billion
(RM66 billion) and it is the largest expansion project ever implemented
in the Grand Mosque's history.
Abi Musa said like any other countries, Malaysia had requested for the
haj quota to be increased, but the Saudi Arabian government was firm in
its decision as various aspects must be taken into account, especially
pilgrims' safety and comfort, as well as its own capability to manage
the pilgrims, who numbered almost four million.
At present, all countries are given a quota of one percent of their
population. Since Malaysia has 28 million people, the Saudi government
only allows 28,000 people to perform haj.
Meanwhile, Abi Musa advised Malaysians preparing for the haj pilgrimage
to deal only with TH-appointed agencies to avert from being cheated.
He said this was because cheating cases involving haj pilgrims continued
to be reported each year even though the list of the licensed agencies
could easily be obtained on TH website and had also been advertised in
local newspapers.
This year, he said TH had granted the licence to manage haj pilgrims to
20 agencies and their performance would be monitored closely to ensure
that they would practice what they preached.
He called on haj pilgrims to make thorough preparation and take extra
precautions as a very hot weather condition was expected during the haj
season this year.
--BERNAMA
No comments:
Post a Comment