Mecca (The Star/ANN) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is attending the Fourth Extraordinary Summit of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Mecca, will clear the air over the haj quota issue with Saudi King Abdullah Abdul Aziz.
However, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom said no special audience had been arranged for the Prime Minister with the Saudi King.
He said as of now, the Saudi government had yet to announce any new haj quota for Malaysia.
"We have not heard any news or got any information. I think the PM will try (to speak to King Abdullah) during the summit," Jamil Khir, who is part of the accompanying official delegation, said yesterday.
Malaysia risks facing restrictions on the haj for the approaching pilgrimage season after groups of Malaysians took part in Bersih 3.0 assemblies (demonstrations organised in demand of clean and fair polls in Malaysia) in Mecca and in Medina in April.
The existing quota for Malaysia is about 27,000, which is 1 per cent of the total population of the country.
The Saudi government is very sensitive towards any form of unlawful assembly on its soil and is said to be contemplating such a restriction, or a suspension, against Malaysians performing the haj or umrah.
The haj quota is traditionally announced during Ramadan and with just days before the fasting month ends, Malaysians confirmed to perform the haj are waiting anxiously whether they would be allowed to set foot on the Holy City of Mecca.