S'poreans urged to postpone non-essential travel to areas in Middle East affected by rising tensions
This is because the authorities are concerned over the escalating tensions in the region, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim.
Speaking to the media at Changi Airport on June 25, Associate Professor Faishal noted that 43 haj pilgrims who were supposed to return to Singapore on a June 23 Scoot flight from Jeddah were affected when the flight was cancelled.
An alternative flight via Malaysia Airlines was subsequently arranged, and the pilgrims safely landed back in Singapore on June 25, he said.
Scoot had earlier cited operational and safety considerations for cancelling some flights to and from Jeddah, amid military strikes between Israel and Iran.
Prof Faishal, who was at the airport to welcome home the final batch of haj pilgrims, said there were also some Singaporeans studying in the Middle East who were stranded after having booked flights home.
They included students from Islamic universities in Jordan and Egypt, such as Al-Azhar University.
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore has contacted the students, and they are currently on their journey back to Singapore, he added.
Prof Faishal said that all Singaporean haj pilgrims who performed their pilgrimage in 2025 have returned to Singapore safely.
The haj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and takes place over five or six days.
In 2025, Singapore and Saudi Arabia struck a deal to allow 900 slots for Singaporeans to perform the haj pilgrimage.
At the airport, Prof Faishal congratulated the Saudi Arabian government for its 'tremendous effort' in organising a successful haj for 1.67 million pilgrims around the world.
He also noted that there were about 890 outpatient visits in 2025 to the Singapore Pilgrims' Affairs Office (Spao) in Shisha and Madinah.
Spao introduced a hybrid model for medical services in 2024, working closely with a Saudi-based medical service provider and appointing medical professionals to be attached to respective haj travel agents for the medical needs of pilgrims.
Prof Faishal said: 'Spao's hybrid model worked well with medical teams from both Singapore and Saudi, and we were able to provide medical attention and quality care to our pilgrims.'
Prof Faishal, who took over the Muslim Affairs portfolio from Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli in May, said he has received encouraging feedback from pilgrims and their family members that bus services and facilities in Arafah and Mina, two significant locations in Mecca, have improved.
He urged returning pilgrims to continue monitoring their health and to seek medical attention if they feel unwell.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction
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