Saudi Arabia agrees to hike Malaysia's Hajj quota

JAKARTA, Indonesia

Malaysia announced Wednesday that Saudi Arabia met its request to increase its Hajj quota, local media reported.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said Muslim-majority nation's quota for the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia was increased by 10,000 pilgrims this year, according to state news agency Bernama.

Speaking to reporters at the end of a four-day official visit to the kingdom, Muhyiddin said he made the request during a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Al-Yamamah Palace on Tuesday.

"When the Hajj situation returns to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic, we will get the additional quota for our pilgrims," the agency quoted the premier as saying.

He said the crown prince had responded positively to his request and expressed that Saudi Arabia's willingness to welcome Malaysian pilgrims.

Before the hike, the quota for Malaysia is currently at 31,600, according to Tabung Haji, the country's Hajj institution.

Riyadh sets the Hajj quota for each country based on their total population.

During Muhyiddin's visit to the Kingdom, Kuala Lumpur and Riyad signed an agreement to ease and simplify various travel and logistical processes for Malaysian Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Umrah is the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims can undertake at any time of the year.

These processes include airport arrangements, visa and passport checking, customs procedures, he said.

*Writing by Rhany Chairunissa Rufinaldo with Anadolu Agency's Indonesian language services in Jakarta