No Malaysian pilgrims were involved in the stampede in Mina where more than 700 pilgrims were reported killed so far said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

More than three million pilgrims from around the world, including over 22,000 Malaysians, are now in the Holy Land to perform the haj this year.

Based on checks at seven Muassasah (camps) and 15 haj pilgrimage organisers and TH Travel & Services Sdn Bhd revealed that all Malaysian pilgrims are safe and none were involved in the stampede because Malaysian pilgrims are only scheduled for the Jamrah Kubra (stoning of the devil) in Mina at 5.30pm (10.30pm Malaysian time).

"No Malaysian pilgrims are involved. Tabung Haji patrol units had been monitoring the area since morning to ensure Malaysian pilgrims only carried out the Jamrah Kubra as scheduled," he told reporters in Makkah today, adding that the scene of the stampede did not involve the route of the Malaysian pilgrims to perform the 'stoning of the devil' ritual.

Malaysia are in the same zone as Indonesia and Turkey.

The pilgrims perform the 'stoning of the devil' ritual on the 11th, 12th and 13th day of the Muslim month of Zulhijjah.

In the 11.30am incident (local time), more than 700 pilgrims are feared killed in a stampede in Mina during the 'stoning of the devil' ritual today where mostly pilgrims from Arab countries were housed in camps, according to the Saudi Arabia General Directorate of Civil Defence.

Tent city divided into zones

Large numbers of the pilgrims converge at the Arafah plains gradually for the wukuf (grand assembly) and put up there overnight, turning the place into a giant tent city.

The tent city is divided into zones for countries that have sent their pilgrims.

This is the second such stampede incident during the haj since 2006 when at least 346 pilgrims were killed as they attempted to perform the 'stoning of the devil' ritual at Jamarat.

Asyraf also reiterated that the death of a Malaysian pilgrim, Siti Haryati Shaikh Ali, 43, at the Makkah hospital was due to respiratory ailment, and not related to the stampede.

When Siti Haryati, a lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), passed away, her husband was by her side.

Meanwhile, 16 Malaysians have died when performing haj this year - seven in the crane collapse and the rest due to heart and respiratory ailment, Asyraf said.

- Bernama