The Malaysian government is hoping that the Haj quota could be continued at 28,000 pilgrims, same as last year. Currently one million Malays are on the Haj waiting list.
“The Saudi government wants to provide comfort and the best services to Haj pilgrims. We will wait for the letter from the Saudi government and consider our next move,” said Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, minister in the Prime Minister’s department.
Yesterday, the Saudi government announced to cut Indonesia’s quota by 20 percent or 42,000 pilgrims in view of the limited space following the ongoing expansion of the holy sites.
“The government would give priority to pilgrims above 70 years old. We will also examine the appeals from applicants whom we should give consideration for reasons like wanting to accompany their disabled or frail relatives to perform Haj,” said Jamil Khir.
The Saudi government also cut Indian quota by 20 percent but Indian authorities requested Saudi authorities to reconsider their decision, taking into account the advanced stage of preparations.
Saudi Arabia’s National Committee for Haj and Umrah (NCHU) claimed that hotels, Umrah operators and aviation firms are estimated to lose SR 5 billion in revenue after the Kingdom limited the number of Umrah visas and their duration.
The expansion of the Grand Mosque in Makkah will allow it to receive two million pilgrims at a time. It is the largest expansion ever undertaken on the site. The project has been reported to cost more than $ 21 billion (SR 79 billion).
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