Saudi reforms streamline haj experience for Malaysian pilgrims
JEDDAH: Haj management is becoming more advanced as the Saudi Arabian government rolls out reforms to ensure pilgrims have a smooth and meaningful experience in fulfilling Islam's fifth pillar.
Eight Malaysian media personnel, invited by the Saudi Media Ministry, experienced the streamlined haj process from their departure at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport.
Saudi Media Ministry facilitator Datuk Izelan Basar said the media team observed improvements made by both the Malaysian and Saudi governments.
"We can see how smooth and easy the haj journey has become... There is no confusion, everything is organised neatly. This is all thanks to the facilities provided by the Saudi government, which employs advanced technology... who knows, maybe soon facial recognition and other modern technologies will be used here," he said during a briefing for Malaysian media representatives.
The Saudi government has introduced the Saudi Visa Bio app for haj visa applications, requiring four steps: email registration, passport information scan, facial scan and a 10-finger biometric fingerprint scan.
The app aims to simplify visa processing and reduce entry delays for pilgrims arriving in Jeddah and Madinah.
Malaysia is one of eight countries chosen for the pilot, along with Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, Tunisia and Morocco.
Malaysia is once again part of the Makkah Route programme, having been the first country to implement it via a 2017 pilot.
The programme allows Malaysian pilgrims to complete Saudi immigration and customs at KLIA, eliminating long waits after their eight-hour flight.
Izelan warned Malaysian Muslims to avoid falling for scams involving fake haj visas this season.
"I want to remind everyone to be careful and not take lightly the promises made by certain parties because haj visas are strictly regulated. The Saudi government has learned from past seasons, during which there were many deaths among pilgrims, so they are now very strict. Don't be fooled... be cautious when buying (Haj) packages to come here," he said.
He also noted Saudi Arabia's advanced media facilities, where global media teams gather in centralised, high-tech studios.
"Malaysian media representatives visiting here should consider making some changes upon returning. Here, we not only worship but also learn and build networks. Maybe one day Malaysia will have facilities as advanced as Saudi Arabia's. They are far ahead, especially in terms of AI (artificial intelligence) used during the haj season. I believe in the near future the Saudi government will be able to accurately predict the exact number of resources needed—how many buses, what infrastructure to build and provide—for the comfort of future Hajj pilgrims," he said.
The eight Malaysian media representatives, including two from Media Prima Berhad's News and Current Affairs (NCA) unit, will be in Makkah until June 12.
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