Singapore is appealing for additional haj quota as it says the Muslim population has grown by 20% in the country. – Reuters pic, February 11, 2016.Singapore is appealing for an increase of its official haj quota to 800 from 680 annually, Channel NewsAsia reported.
This was conveyed in a letter addressed to King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the news portal said.
The report said 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 today.
The original formula for the Haj quota was decided by the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in 1987 (now Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) and pegged to 0.1%of the local Muslim population, it said.
Lee noted in the letter that since then, Singapore's Muslim population has grown by about 20%, 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, Lee was quoted as saying.
The report said Lee 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 1,000 places.
"These additional places will be welcomed and deeply appreciated by the Singapore Muslim community," Lee was reported to have said in the letter.
Yaacob is currently in Saudi Arabia leading Singapore's delegation to the annual Haj Ministerial Meeting from February 10 to 12. – Bernama, February 11, 2016.
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