Kelantan: Kelantanese leaving for the Holy Land to perform the haj pilgrimage are advised to maintain a high level of discipline and comply with all regulations set by the Saudi Arabian Government. Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud said they need to respect the laws of the host country and avoid engaging in any activities that violate the regulations, including performing the haj without a valid visa.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, attempting to perform the haj without a valid visa not only violates Saudi Arabian laws, but can also cause great hardship to oneself, including facing heavy fines, being deported, and being blacklisted from entering Saudi Arabia for a long period. Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud emphasized the importance of pilgrims serving as agents of information for the government by helping to raise awareness among their family members, relatives, and acquaintances about the importance of complying with the law and not being lured by suspicious haj package offers.

He further stressed that personal hygiene and health care must be prioritized while in the Holy Land, especially considering the hot climate and the presence of large crowds of Muslims from all over the world.

Meanwhile, Tabung Haji (TH) director (Eastern Region) Khairoddin Ahmad said the pilgrims from Kelantan will board the 25th flight to the Holy Land, out of a total of 100 chartered flights for this year’s haj season. The pilgrims from Kelantan left Kuala Lumpur International Airport on board flight MH8078 to Madinah, together with 142 pilgrims from Kedah, at 4.05 am today.

A total of 31,600 Malaysians are expected to perform the haj pilgrimage this year, with more than 6,000 pilgrims already in the Holy Land.