The Prime Minister’s Department has appealed to the Saudi Arabian government to increase the haj quota of 28,000 by 10,000.

Its minister, Jamil Khir Baharom said he would ask Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to personally raise the matter with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah to enable more Muslims on the waiting list to perform the pilgrimage this year.

“Normally, we get the 28,000 quota during the fasting month and the appeal quota after Aidilfitri for those on the waiting list. We are awaiting the appeal quota,” he told reporters after attending a public talk and a Hari Raya open house hosted by the Islamic Development Department at Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque in Putrajaya today.

To data, 936,000 Muslims in the country are on the haj waiting list, including 4,000 above the age of 75.

Earlier, Jamil Khir handed over financial aid totalling RM3 million to 36 Islamic non-governmental organisations, including from Sabah and Sarawak.

Among the recipients were the Malaysian Muslim Welfare Organisation (Perkim), the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association (MACMA), World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia, the Malaysian Indian Muslim Youth Movement (Gepima), and the Sabah Muslim Converts Organisation.

- Bernama