ABIM Proposes National Haj Crisis Centre To Ensure Pilgrim Safety

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM) has proposed the establishment of a National Haj Crisis Coordination Centre as an integrated platform to strengthen inter-agency coordination, in light of rising security risks for pilgrims due to current geopolitical developments in West Asia.

ABIM president Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Samsudin said the proposed coordination centre could also serve as a real-time monitoring hub, while coordinating emergency responses across security, logistics, health and public communication.

He said that although Malaysia’s haj management is recognised among the best in the world, it must be further strengthened through a more risk-based and responsive approach, taking into account potential unforeseen developments.

“ABIM calls on the government, through Tabung Haji and Wisma Putra, to conduct continuous, data-driven risk assessments, including setting clear risk thresholds to determine whether the dispatch of pilgrims should proceed, be adjusted or postponed if the situation worsens,” he said in a statement.

Ahmad Fahmi also stressed the need for a comprehensive and transparent preparedness framework for the public, encompassing large-scale evacuation plans, protection guarantees through a comprehensive takaful scheme, health service readiness and effective crisis communication between pilgrims, authorities and families in Malaysia.

He said that while the haj pilgrimage is a fundamental religious obligation, the concept of capability (istita‘ah) to perform acts of worship must be understood holistically within the framework of contemporary fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and governance.

Ahmad Fahmi said this encompasses factors such as security, logistical stability and the viability of emergency management should the conflict escalate.

-- BERNAMA