SEPANG, May 19 — The Immigration Department will open 10 special counters from Sunday (May 21) to June 21 for the smooth documentation process of Malaysian Haj pilgrims, said Immigration Department director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh.

Speaking to the media after conducting a survey of the counters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), here, today, he said a total of 30 immigration personnel would be deployed on shift duties throughout the period.

"The opening of the special counters at Gate C17 is an initiative for the comfort of Haj pilgrims, without them having to jostle with other passengers. This includes in the Haj Pilgrims Pre-Departure or the Makkah Route Programme that involves the Immigration Department and the Saudi Arabia customs,” he said.

According to him a total of 31,600 Malaysian Haj pilgrims will leave for Saudi Arabia via 201 flights from Sunday.

The implementation of the Makkah Route allows Malaysian Haj pilgrims to travel to Makkah without having to go through time-consuming procedures upon arrival at the KLIA.

Through this initiative, Saudi Arabian Immigration personnel at the KLIA counters for the programme will check the passports of Haj pilgrims and, upon arrival at airports in Madinah or Jeddah, Malaysian Haj pilgrims need not have to wait to go through the process of immigration and customs there.

Malaysia was the first country chosen for the implementation of the pioneer programme for the Makkah Route initiative in 2017 and it has been continued till today.

Ruslin said he was extremely satisfied with the level of preparedness of personnel and equipment at the counters.

"We do not want Haj pilgrims to crowd around our special counters and cause immigration matters by Saudi authorities to be disrupted,” he said. — Bernama