Proposal to shorten period of performing Haj will not reduce cost - Mohd Na'im
06 Apr 2023 04:27pm
Mohd Na’im
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Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said shortening the period would make pilgrims stay in Makkah and Madinah during the peak of the haj, thus contributing to the increase in costs.
"For the muassasah package managed by TH, the length of stay of 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 Makkah and Madinah during peak season, when the price of flight tickets and building rentals is very high,” he said during the 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 to review the length of stay of Malaysian pilgrims in order to reduce the cost of performing the haj.
According to Mohd Na’im, TH has taken steps to ensure that the haj cost will not increase every year by signing a long-term contract agreement with several parties in Saudi Arabia involving flights, accommodation, meals, and various other services for Malaysian pilgrims.
TH Group managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Amrin Awaluddin was previously reported as saying the cost of performing haj has increased to RM30,850 this year compared with RM28,632 last year. - BERNAMA
