The initiative aims to receive the pilgrims and complete their procedures from their countries with ease

by AUFA MARDHIAH / Pics by AUFA MARDHIAH

MALAYSIAN pilgrims’ high discipline and the orderly management by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) are among the factors behind Malaysia being reselected for the Makkah Route initiative.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary said due to the success of the pilot programme in 2017 and the full implementation of the Makkah Route initiative in 2018 and 2019, Saudi Arabia once again chose Malaysia to be a part of it this year.

Malaysia is among the five countries selected in the haj season 1443H/2022 along with Pakistan, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh.

The Makkah Route initiative aims to receive the pilgrims and complete their procedures from their countries with ease.

At their country of departure, the pilgrims’ electronic visa is issued and their vital characteristics are taken.

After their health requirements are verified, the pilgrims will pass through the complete passport procedures, which include coding and sorting their luggage to send directly to their place of residency in Saudi Arabia.

Upon arrival, the pilgrims will move directly to buses that will take them to their places of residence in Makkah and Madinah, with designated paths.

TH Haj Operations deputy director Anuar Ahmad said the Makkah Route has greatly facilitated the affairs of Malaysian pilgrims.

“Malaysian pilgrims no longer have to go through the immigration process upon arrival in Saudi Arabia and can continue to take the bus to the hotel where they no longer need to go through the time-consuming procedure upon arrival at Saudi Arabia Airport.

“The Saudi Arabian Immigration and Customs team will be at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to check the pilgrims’ passports so that when they arrive at Jeddah or Madinah, they do not have to go through the immigration and customs processes,” he said when witnessing the Makkah Route process at KLIA today.

Also present were the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Malaysia Datuk Dr Mahmoud Hussien Seed Qatta and TH ED of Operations Mohamed Ameen SMA Abdul Wahab.

Haj flights for the 1443H/2022 hajj season comprise 48 flights starting on June 4, 2022, with the final flight to be doubled on July 3, 2022.

As of June 21, 2022, a total of 6,927 Malaysian pilgrims have arrived in the holy land through the Makkah Route initiative.