SINGAPORE: The Republic is appealing for an increase of its official Haj quota from 680 to 800 annually.
This was conveyed in a letter addressed to King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim, who is also the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, presented the letter to Saudi Minister for Haj Dr Bandar Mohammed Hajjar during a meeting on Thursday morning (Feb 11).
The original formula for the Haj quota was decided by the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in 1987 and pegged to 0.1 per cent of the local Muslim population.
Mr Lee noted in the letter that since then, Singapore's Muslim population has grown by about 20 per cent, making up about 800,000 of Singapore's total population of 5.54 million. However, the Republic's quota has remained unchanged.
The requested increase to the official quota is in line with the OIC formula, according to Mr Lee.
He also made a "personal appeal" to the King to grant an additional 200 places this year, on top of the revised quota of 800, for a total of 1000 places.
"These additional places will be welcomed and deeply appreciated by the Singapore Muslim community," Mr Lee said in the letter.
Dr Yaacob is currently in Saudi Arabia leading Singapore's delegation to the annual Haj Ministerial Meeting from Feb 10 to 12.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-appeals-for/2506186.html?cid=FBSG
This was conveyed in a letter addressed to King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim, who is also the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, presented the letter to Saudi Minister for Haj Dr Bandar Mohammed Hajjar during a meeting on Thursday morning (Feb 11).
The original formula for the Haj quota was decided by the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in 1987 and pegged to 0.1 per cent of the local Muslim population.
Mr Lee noted in the letter that since then, Singapore's Muslim population has grown by about 20 per cent, making up about 800,000 of Singapore's total population of 5.54 million. However, the Republic's quota has remained unchanged.
The requested increase to the official quota is in line with the OIC formula, according to Mr Lee.
He also made a "personal appeal" to the King to grant an additional 200 places this year, on top of the revised quota of 800, for a total of 1000 places.
"These additional places will be welcomed and deeply appreciated by the Singapore Muslim community," Mr Lee said in the letter.
Dr Yaacob is currently in Saudi Arabia leading Singapore's delegation to the annual Haj Ministerial Meeting from Feb 10 to 12.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-appeals-for/2506186.html?cid=FBSG
