Government will make the arrangements for  the pilgrims on departure and arrival – Sheikh Shaheem

Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh  Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has said that the government will make all the arrangements for the Haj  pilgrims on departure and arrival. At a news conference, Shaheem said  expenditures like the ferry fare will be for free for the haj pilgrims and for their families and friends.   He also said, all the pilgrims will leave from the jetties infront of Jumhooree maidhaan and the ferry service will be given by MTCC. And also he said tents will be held at Jumhooree maidhaan to felicitate the pilgrims.

Sheikh Shaheem said compared to the previous years, this year it will be very different.  He said MNDF personnel will assist in handling their luggages. He also said food items will be available from the airport in the same rate which is  available from Male. And he also said MNDF medical personnel staffs will be available at the airport for emergency cases.

Sheikh Shaheem said the government is working to get affordable prices for those who want to go to Haj in the future. He said the most successful  Haj programme is in Malaysia and Malaysia has agreed to lend support on establishing such a programme In Maldives. He said Maldives is going to introduce a system which will be easy for the people to go for Haj.

Speaking about the system, Sheikh Shaheem said, the system doesn’t require  people to give all the money required for the Haj pilgrimage at once. He said people can pay their money in some amounts in advance and then the authorities can do some business related to Haj and from the profit, some amount of money will be given to the people in an affordable way.

He said Malaysia is having the same system and from this system , they have already bought a hotel in Mecca, so that Malaysians can pay less amount for the pilgrimage. He said now, Maldives is having an Islamic Bank, this will make the work easier.

According to the system in Malaysia, parents open an accounts from the ime they give birth to a child. And youngsters also put some amount of money monthly into their accounts for the Haj pilgrimage purpose.

The first batch of Maldivian pilgrims will leave for pilgrimage this Friday.