Many Pilgrims Opt To Decline Haj Subsidy – Mohd Na'im
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said the rejection stemmed from the growing awareness among Muslims that performing the fifth Pillar of Islam must be based on financial ability.
'Tabung Haji (TH) is making efforts to explain to Muslims the link between Haj and the condition of affordability. Beginning in 2022, the subsidies provided by TH to B40 and M40 pilgrims have been decreasing... this is an effort to educate Muslims on the obligation of Haj.
'... a total of 396 (in 2023) and 263 (in 2024) voluntarily rejected the assistance... they did not wish to accept any form of subsidy or Haj aid provided,' he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Dr Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN-Pengkalan Chepa) on the suggestion of channelling TH's profit returns as subsidised assistance to pilgrims in need.
Mohd Na'im said the rejection of subsidies also had a positive impact on TH's financial performance, with its dividend distribution rising to 3.25 per cent last year.
Answering Ahmad Marzuk's original question regarding the increase in costs and the Haj quota, he said there has been no rise in Haj cost for Muassasah pilgrims this year, with the amount remaining the same as last year at RM33,300 per pilgrim.
As for the Haj quota, he said there were no unused official Haj quotas for the period from 2020 to 2025.
'The official annual Haj quota allocated by the Saudi Arabian government is 31,600, based on a resolution by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which stipulates one per cent of a country's Muslim population.
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