Lembaga Tabung Haji CEO Datuk Seri Zukri Samat says that starting this year the pilgrimage fund limited its depositors to only one Haj trip to allow some 3.2 million people on its list to perform the Haj. — Picture by Hari Anggara

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 ― Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) has limited its depositors to only one Haj trip to allow more individuals to perform the pilgrimage, says group managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zukri Samat.

In an exclusive interview with Berita Harian, Zukri explained that starting this year the pilgrimage fund had done so as to allow some 3.2 million people on its list to perform the Haj.

This was not the case before as depositors can register again five years after completing their first Haj pilgrimage.

“However, starting this year they can no longer do that as to give chance to the other 3.2 million people on the waiting list to perform the Haj, so we hope people would understand this situation.

“If you register today, an individual has to wait for 114 years to get their turn to perform the Haj.

“Give the chance for people who have yet to perform the Haj,” he said.

Zukri admitted that with the new regulation, TH is ready to see depositors who have performed the Haj to withdraw their funds from the organisation.

Zukri then explained that TH still provide the subsidy for pilgrims despite the rising cost.

“For 2019, the cost of 30,200 pilgrims amounts to RM22,920. However we still retain the cost of performing the Haj at RM9,980 (since 2009), with RM 12,940 is born by TH,” he said.