First group of haj pilgrims return home as second phase of operations begins
The group of 283 pilgrims, mainly from Kedah and Selangor, departed from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah aboard Malaysia Airlines' AMAL flight MH8251 at 5.40 am local time.
Their arrival was welcomed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar, alongside Tabung Haji (TH) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain and TH Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mustakim Mohamad.
'Alhamdulillah, this year's haj operations have gone smoothly and we are now beginning to bring the pilgrims home safely,' said Mohd Na'im.
He also congratulated TH for receiving the prestigious Labaytum Diamond Award, recognising the agency's efforts to enhance service quality and haj management internationally.
Among the key successes this year, Mohd Na'im noted, was the safe completion of wuquf, the pivotal standing at Arafah, by all Malaysian pilgrims, including 95 ailing pilgrims who were transported in 10 specially arranged buses under the Safari Wuquf programme.
Meanwhile, Mustakim said that despite ongoing challenges such as extreme heat and limited tent space in Mina, TH continues to implement improvements aimed at enhancing pilgrims' comfort and safety.
These included adding extra toilet facilities and storage space during the critical Masyair phase of the haj.
A total of 100 chartered flights operated by AMAL and Saudia Airlines are scheduled to repatriate the entire Malaysian contingent of 31,600 pilgrims, with flights beginning today and concluding on Thursday, July 10.
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