The government will not compromise on health and safety of haj pilgrims following the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS) in Saudi Arabia, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.
He said Malaysian pilgrims were required to undergo a medical examination as well as taking medication and vaccinations before leaving for the Holy Land of Mecca and Medina to perform the haj.
"The government takes precaution whenever an outbreak of a disease occurs," he told reporters after attending a briefing on the findings on the transformation of the Islamic legal system in Malaysia.
MERS, which was first reported on Sept 22, 2012, has so far infected 55 people and claimed 33 lives in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Jamil Khir asked travel agencies not to fix the dates of umrah and haj travels until the application for visas was approved by the Saudi government to prevent pilgrims from getting stranded. - Bernama, July 1, 2013.
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