PUTRAJAYA, July 5 — The Saudi Arabian government did not reduce the allocated spots for Malaysians to go for the Haj pilgrimage this year, Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa has clarified.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of religion also denied claims that the Saudi government did so in retaliation to Malaysia’s troop withdrawal from the kingdom, where they have been on standby to evacuate Malaysians in Yemen.

“There has been a rumour that the Saudi government reduced the number of quotas in retaliation to the Defence Minister pulling out our troops in Yemen.

“This is not true, and such a false statement can affect and damage good relations that we have with the Saudi government,” he told Malay Mail in an exclusive interview at his office here.

Mujahid said the annual Haj quotas were set by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and this year’s quota remained at 30,200 pilgrims.

“The Saudi government has given the red carpet treatment, we have been invited every year and we will still be invited,” the Parit Buntar MP added.