Singapore in good stead to secure larger haj quota after award by Saudi authorities: Faishal Ibrahim

Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Faishal Ibrahim greeting relatives of a member of the first group of Singapore Haj pilgrims at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on June 13. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Singapore in good stead to secure larger haj quota after award by Saudi authorities: Faishal Ibrahim
SINGAPORE - An award given by Saudi Arabia to the Singapore Pilgrims' Association Office has put the Republic in good stead to secure a larger quota for haj pilgrims , said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim.
The Labbaitum Gold Award for excellence in delivering seamless and meaningful haj experiences for Singaporean pilgrims was conferred by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on June 9.
'This gives us the opportunity, the resolve, and the commitment to continue to engage and appeal to the Saudi Government for a higher quota for our people,' Associate Professor Faishal said on June 13.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is also committed to this resolve, he added.
He was speaking to the media at Changi Airport Terminal 3, on the sidelines of welcoming the first returnees from this year's pilgrimage.
The haj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam, and takes place over five or six days.
In 2025, Singapore and Saudi Arabia struck a deal to allow 900 slots for Singaporeans to perform the haj pilgrimage. The number of haj slots each year is subject to Saudi Arabia's allotment, with 2018 being the last time the haj quota was increased from 800 to 900.
The work of the Singapore Pilgrims' Association Office includes a Get Fit for Haj preparatory program, with health classes and exercise sessions to ensure pilgrims are physically fit before they embark on their haj journey.
Assoc Prof Faishal said the first batch of Singapore pilgrims are safe and healthy, and the authorities will keep working hard to look after the rest who are still on their pilgrimage.
In 2024, some 1,300 pilgrims died in an intense heatwave during the pilgrimage, after temperatures had soared to a high of 51.8 deg C in Saudi Arabia. In 2025, temperatures have so far reached 47 deg C.
The first batch of 80 pilgrims arrived at Terminal 3 in the afternoon and were warmly greeted by their families. The rest will return progressively over the next two weeks, with the last batch arriving on June 25.
In January, PM Wong and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced they will meet regularly to grow cooperation between Singapore and Saudi Arabia under a new council.
Singapore secured 900 haj slots for 2025 after then-Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli met with Saudi Minister of Haj and Umrah Tawfiq Fawzan Al-Rabiah in Jeddah that month .
Assoc Prof Faishal said he was happy to see services by travel agents, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore , and other stakeholders improve year after year.
The first batch of 80 haj pilgrims arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 3 in the afternoon and were warmly greeted by their families.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Ms Lina Jumat, 42, was one of the many people anxiously awaiting their loved ones at the arrival hall of Terminal 3.
The customer service representative came to welcome her mother home. Madam Ermina Zainah, 68, was travelling alone for the first time, which added to her daughter's worries.
The housewife had been on the waitlist for the haj for 10 years, and had planned to go with her husband. He passed away in 2020 before they could make the trip together.
Ms Lina said: 'I was worried for her, of course. Not only because of the heat, but because she is not too physically fit. But I was in contact with her throughout, now I'm just looking forward to hugging her again.'
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