Malaysia Expresses Gratitude To Saudi Arabia For Makkah Route Initiative

SEPANG, April 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has expressed its appreciation and gratitude to the Saudi government for the Makkah Route initiative, now in its eighth year, which continues to benefit Malaysian haj pilgrims.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Dr Zulkifli Hasan, said the Saudi Arabian government has introduced various initiatives and programmes, including the Nusuk card and the Makkah Route. 

“Alhamdulillah, I would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to the government of Saudi Arabia for these amazing initiatives and programmes. 

“I believe that from time to time, the quality has become better and better, Alhamdulillah, and this helps us a lot, and our pilgrims are very happy," he told reporters after sending off the first group of 284 Malaysian Haj Pilgrims for the 1447H/2026M haj season at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1, here today.

Also present were Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Marhamah Rosli, Tabung Haji (TH) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain, TH chief executive officer Mustakim Mohamad and Saudi Ambassador to Malaysia Osamah Dakhel R Al-Ahmadi.

Zulkifli added that Malaysian pilgrims have responded positively, noting that the programme has helped speed up procedures and reduce difficulties at Saudi Arabia’s entry points.

Meanwhile, Osamah Dakhel said the cooperation between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia in making the Makkah Route initiative a success reflects the strong bilateral ties between the two countries.

"This is the eighth year of the Makkah Route. It provides convenience for Malaysian haj pilgrims and, insya-Allah, offers many benefits. We would also like to express our appreciation for these efforts," he told reporters in Arabic, with Zulkifli translating his speech into Bahasa Malaysia.

Malaysia was the first country selected to pilot the Makkah Route initiative in 2017, and it has continued ever since, with Saudi immigration officers stationed at KLIA Terminal 1 to process pilgrims' passports.

As a result, when pilgrims arrive at the airports in Medina or Jeddah, they no longer need to wait for immigration and customs clearance.

The initiative also allows for direct baggage transfer to their accommodation in Makkah and Medina, with the baggage tagging process, supervised by the Ministry of Haj and Umrah, beginning at KLIA.

-- BERNAMA