Kuala Lumpur (UNA-OIC) – Malaysia has welcomed Saudi Arabia’s stance to consider allowing the Hajj pilgrimage for this year to proceed for Muslims from other countries who are already in the Kingdom.
Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, in a joint statement with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr. Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, said the matter was informed on Monday and Tuesday through telephone conversations with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh, and Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Muhammad Saleh bin Taher Benten.
The statement affirmed that Saudi Arabia’s stand on the matter not only reflects the concerns of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah over Muslims around the world to ensure that this worship can be performed safely from a public health perspective, but also in line with one of the main purposes of Sharia, which is preserving human lives.
Hishammuddin and Zulkifli have promised to keep in touch with the appropriate Saudi authorities to ensure that Malaysians residing in Saudi Arabia are given priority in the event this year’s Hajj is allowed to proceed with limited capacity, the statement added.
AB/UNA-OIC
