The use of the special chip that can track and detect the location of pilgrims will be tested during this year’s haj season, according to Tabung Haji (TH) senior general manager Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman.

He said the test would involve 480 haj pilgrims and the chip would be installed in their identification badges.

“This is a pilot project for us to see how effective the technology is. With the chip, we should be able to track and locate the pilgrims, especially in case of emergency. If it works, then we will consider using it in the future,” he told a press conference after the closing of the Haj Guide Certification Programme in Nilai today.

Elaborating, Syed Saleh said 15 IT personnel of TH subsidiary company, Theta Edge Bhd, would be monitoring the effectiveness of the chip during the test.

He said over the past five years, the TH had been adopting numerous kinds of technology for the safety of haj pilgrims, including the more accurate pilgrim calculation system introduced last year.

Meanwhile, Syed Saleh said TH would increase the number of haj staff to 630 to meet the demands of the pilgrims as the Malaysian haj quota had been increased to 30,200 from 27,900 previously.

“Several other plans had also been outlined to deal with the increased number of pilgrims this year, such as preparing for their accommodations in Makkah and Madinah, flights and haj guides,” he added.

- Bernama