PETALING JAYA, Aug 18 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak advised the pilgrims to the Holy Land in order to avoid any negative elements that could affect the good name of Malaysia. Najib said the church must obey and follow all the rules and laws of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the pilgrimage.
“The pilgrims have the opportunity to be a guest of God as well as possible and avoid wasting time doing things that are not beneficial,” he said before a group bid farewell to the 6th Malaysian pilgrims comprising 279 people in Kelana Jaya Complex security here on Monday. The group was scheduled to board Malaysia Airlines (MAS), MH8004, at 12:30 noon.
Also present at the prime minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Malaysia Datuk Abdullah Hamad Fahad Al-Rashid, Minister in the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Ashraf Wajdi Dusuki and Chairman of the Pilgrims Fund Board Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.
Najib said the pilgrims have to meet the future with increasing compulsory and voluntary practices like chanting, reading holy verses of the Quran, prayers and supplications to Allah. He hoped that Muslims in Malaysia continue to stand united, regardless of the differences that can divide the unity of the nation and harmonious multi-racial society in Malaysia.
Yesterday (August 16), the first batch of 450 pilgrims had arrived at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport in Medina, Saudi Arabia, at 8:35 am local time (1.35 pm Malaysian time). The first group of pilgrims took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 5.30am Saturday (Malaysian time) with the flight SV5701 owned Saudi Arabian Airlines.
The number of pilgrims this year is 22,320 persons will be taken through 64 flights on MAS and Saudi Arabian Airlines. Meanwhile, the last flight of Malaysian pilgrims to the Holy Land is on Sept 16 while the return flight is scheduled assembly of 29 Sept to 27 Oct.
