First group of Malaysian haj pilgrims arrives in Jeddah

By Fadzli Ramli

MAKKAH, July 19 (Bernama) -- The first group of 474 Malaysian haj pilgrims has safely landed at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah at 1.26 pm local time or 6.25 pm Malaysian time, yesterday.

Tabung Haji (TH) in a statement said the pilgrims departed from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 9.15 am Malaysian time onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH8128.

All haj flights from July 4 to 17 had landed at the Prince Mohammad Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah, while flights departing from July 18 to Aug 5 will be arriving at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport.

“They were met on arrival by the Head of Malaysian Haj Delegation Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abd Rahman, his deputy Nurrinanuwar Shamsuddin, Haj Consul Mohammad Saimi Mat Som, and Makkah Route officers and TH staff,” the statement said.

All the pilgrims were then transported to their accommodations at Manar Al Shorouq Hotel in Makkah using 11 buses.

So far, over 13,000 out of the total 30,200 Malaysian pilgrims had arrived in the Holy Land to perform the fifth pillars of Islam this year.

-- BERNAMA