Islamic Ministry instructed to reduce slots reserved from hajj quota for state officials

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has given instructions to reduce the number of slots reserved for state officials from the annual hajj quota awarded by Saudi Arabia to the Maldives, says Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed.

Maldives usually receives an official quota of 1,000 pilgrims for the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. A portion of this is reserved for officials who work as aides to pilgrims.

Shaheem, who was summoned to the Parliament for questioning on Tuesday morning, was pressed by opposition lawmakers regarding allegations that government officials, specifically officials from Maldives Hajj Corporation, tamper with the hajj quota to enable them or members of their family to skip the long line of hopeful pilgrims who have been waiting for years to make the holy pilgrimage.

Responding to these questions, Shaheem said that Hajj Corporation follows specific regulations which ensure that pilgrims get the opportunity to make the hajj pilgrimage in the order in which they make the payment.

Shaheem said that the government has not, and will not allow a specific individual or family to skip the line.

“Never have we prioritized a specific individual or family in allocating hajj quota, and nor is this something policies allow for,” he said.

He said that the people who the public see repeatedly going on hajj are officials from the Hajj Corporation, as well as medical doctors, cooks and other such aides, who go to Saudi Arabia to do necessary work in aiding pilgrims.

Shaheem said that a portion of the hajj quota has always been reserved for state officials.

But he said that President Muizzu has instructed for the slots reserved for state officials to be reduced.

“But the President has now instructed us to reduce the portion of quota reserved by the state,” he said.

“I wish to assure you that this reserved quota is allocated to them in line with relevant rules and regulations. I assure you that no one has been unfairly allocated quota.”

Shaheem also announced plans to make more changes this year, including prioritizing first-time hajj pilgrims, introducing a quota for pilgrims aged 65 and above, and introducing a five-year cap for hajj pilgrims.

“These changes will ensure that the elderly and first-time pilgrims in the queue are prioritized,” he said.

Maldives usually receives an annual hajj quota of 1,000 pilgrims, of which 100 slots are reserved for state officials, aides of sickly or elderly pilgrims, cooks and other such aides, and another 50 slots for people on the list of poor. The remaining 850 slots are allocated for people who have paid Hajj Corporation for the annual pilgrimage.