500,000 in haj queue this year.

Byline: Nik Imran Abdullah

KOTA BARU: Some 500,000 Muslims have registered with Tabung Haji to perform the haj, about 20 times the annual quota for the pilgrimage.

Chairman Tan Sri Abi Musa Asa'ari Abdullah Mohamed Nor said those at the bottom of the list would have to wait for their turn as Tabung Haji could only send 26,000 pilgrims each year.

He said Tabung Haji did not have the authority to increase the number of pilgrims as the quota was set by the Saudi Arabian government.

"But we do make concessions on a case-by-case basis so that the very old, for instance, can perform their haj at an earlier date.

…