Haj Arrangements and Contingency Plans for Singapore Pilgrims Given Present Security Situation and Travel Disruptions in Middle East

Mr Speaker, to date, preparations for Haj 2026 are proceeding as planned. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura or MUIS) remains in close contact with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on the arrangements, and will continue to monitor the latest developments in the Middle East.

MUIS is working closely with the Association of Muslim Travel Agents Singapore (AMTAS), and the appointed haj travel agents and service providers to support our pilgrims for a safe haj journey. These include using direct flights to and from Saudi Arabia, choosing ground transport options less susceptible to disruption, and closer coordination of pilgrim movements in Madinah, Makkah and Jeddah. MUIS is also developing contingency plans with AMTAS and haj travel agents, to plan for potential travel disruptions and unforeseen incidents during the pilgrimage.

Above all, the safety and welfare of our pilgrims remain our utmost priority. MUIS will continue to keep all pilgrims and the wider community informed of the latest haj arrangements.

Sir, I thank the Minister for the reply. I am glad to hear that the haj will continue this year as planned. Given the continuing uncertainty in the Middle East, I think many pilgrims and their families are rightly so concerned about this year's arrangements, and perhaps also what happens if they are disrupted at very short notice. Some have also shared that they might want to withdraw for safety reasons.

My first supplementary question is, if haj arrangements are cancelled or significantly disrupted this year, or if some pilgrims choose to defer due to security concerns, will pilgrims who were due to travel this year be given priority in the following year or subsequent years? And how will this affect others who are already in the queue?

My second supplementary question is, if that happens, can the Minister also clarify is there some way that they can get a refund or deferment or financial assistance that could be provided and arranged for them, so that the affected pilgrims are not unfairly penalised for circumstances that are beyond their control?

Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. The answer is yes, the affected pilgrims will be given priority, but this is subject to the annual quota allocated by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. And when that happens, MUIS will work closely with AMTAS to make the necessary arrangements.

On his second supplementary question, we understand that pilgrims will be concerned about the financial impact in event that haj is cancelled or disrupted. As I shared earlier, we are in close contact with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and AMTAS to ensure that the affected pilgrims receive the necessary support and financial assistance. Also, the type of support that we provide depends on the prevailing circumstances. Should haj be cancelled or disrupted this year, we will work closely with AMTAS to allow the affected pilgrims to defer to the subsequent haj seasons. MUIS will work with the travel agents and the Saudi-based service providers to explore possible refunds, given the situation.

So, as I shared earlier, we will continue to monitor the situation. We will keep all the pilgrims informed on the latest arrangements and support measures in a timely manner. We know the haj is a very significant milestone for Muslims and we want to make sure that while we facilitate, we also want to take care of the safety and the welfare of our pilgrims, and we seek the community's understanding and collective effort to stand together during this time of crisis.