KOTA KINABALU: Over 22,800 haj pilgrims from Malaysia are already in Makkah and Madina as of today, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar.
He said they are part of the 31,600 haj pilgrims from Malaysia who will be performing the fifth pillar of Islam this year.
“A total of 100 special chartered flights have taken the pilgrims directly to the Holy Land since May 9,” he said in his speech at the ceremony to send off the haj pilgrims from Sabah at the Kota Kinabalu International Convention Centre here tonight.
The Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sabah Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and wife Toh Puan Norlidah R.M Jasni also attended the event to send off the first batch of 134 pilgrims from a total of 940 from Sabah.
Also present were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya and state Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Mohd Ariffin Mohd Arif.
