TABUNG HAJI ALWAYS REMINDS HAJ PILGRIMS TO COMPLY WITH NEW RULES OF SAUDI ARABIA GOVT

SEPANG, May 8 (Bernama) – Lembaga Haji (TH) always reminds pilgrims under its management to comply with every new rule imposed by the Saudi Arabia government to avoid any problems, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar.

He said these new regulations included the enforcement of a penalty of 10,000 Riyals (SAR10,000) for violating the rules and instructions of the Haj season including entering seven areas -- Makkah, the Central Region, Masyair, the Haramain train station in Rusayfah, security control centre. isolation centre and temporary security control centre -- without a Haj permit in the country.

The penalty will be effective from June 2 to 20, 2024 and the ministry explained that the SAR10,000 penalty will be imposed on all individuals including citizens, residents, and visitors who are caught in the geographical area without a Haj permit.

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In addition, non-citizens who are arrested will be deported to their country of origin and banned from entering Saudi Arabia for the period stipulated in the law.

Earlier, Mohd Na'im, together with the management of TH, spent time greeting the pilgrims who departed for the Holy Land at 12 am.

The first group of 282 Malaysian pilgrims departed for the Holy Land at midnight tonight on a Malaysia Airlines flight.

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Malaysia Airlines flight MH8050 from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 to Madinah departed at 12.05 am and is expected to arrive at Putera Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport, Madinah at 3.50 am local time.

-- BERNAMA