63 Stranded Pilgrims May Return Home Next Week

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The group only stayed in Medina and were never taken to Mecca to complete the pilgrimage as promised. (AP pic)KUANTAN: A group of 63 Malaysian umrah pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia since June may be brought home next week, says foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah.
He said the pilgrims comprised 28 adults and 35 children.
Wisma Putra is holding discussions with the Saudi Arabian embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the authorities there.
“The pilgrims went there to perform the umrah and I was told that they faced some problems. The full details will be disclosed later as discussions are ongoing.
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“I can only confirm that there is a big possibility that we can bring them home,” he told reporters while on a visit to the Indera Mahkota parliamentary constituency.
Earlier this month, Wisma Putra and the Prime Minister’s Department said 63 Malaysians had been stranded after being taken to Medina by the Tarekat al-Naqsyabandiah Al-Kholidiah group for umrah in March.
However, they only stayed in Medina and were never taken to Mecca to complete the pilgrimage. The Tarekat leader was banished by the Saudi Arabian government on Aug 20 for violating local laws.
On a separate matter, Saifuddin said that five more Malaysians who were victims of a job scam syndicate in Cambodia arrived safely at KLIA yesterday.
Fifty-two more are still at the immigration depots of the countries involved. Efforts are ongoing to trace the remaining 132 victims.
Seven Malaysians who voluntarily went to work as forex investors at the Cambodia-Vietnam border would be brought home today. - FMT

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