KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa today stressed that the quota for Malaysian pilgrims remains at 30,200 and the Pilgrims Fund Board (TH) is working on increasing this number.

He said the increase in quota is subject to the approval by the Saudi Arabian government.

“The Saudia Arabian government does not have a specific date to give us a reply on the application for additional quota.

“According to TH records, they have received a reply on the additional quota from the Saudi Arabian authorities during the month of Ramadan, Syawal, Zulkaedah, and in fact, the reply has even been given in the month of Zulhijjah,” he said in a statement here today.

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Mujadi said this in a posting on his Facebook account in response to a statement by Umno Youth Head Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki on a report by Utusan Malaysia today that Muslims had lost the additional quota of 10,000 for haj each year following poor relations between the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government and Saudi Arabia.

 “The statement is a malicious lie to scare Muslims and it is totally not true, the haj quota remains the same as before,” he said.

Mujahid also advised Utusan Malaysia to refer to facts first and inaccurate statements made about the authorities especially TH which was responsible for managing the pilgrims would have an effect on the public, especially Muslims.

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Meanwhile, TH also denied Asyraf Wajdi’s comments and urged him to stop making sensational comments and inaccurate analysis with political motives which would confuse the public.

“For the information of the public, the official quota given by Saudi Arabia this year is 30,200. In order to reduce the waiting time for the pilgrims, TH applied early for the additional quota of 10,000 pilgrims for the haj season this year.

“So far, TH is still waiting for an official decision on the request,” TH said in a statement.

It said according to TH records for the last 10 years, there were four years (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016) when requests for additional quota from TH were not approved. — Bernama