16 Malaysian haj pilgrims die in Mecca

ALOR STAR: Sixteen Malaysian haj pilgrims died in the Holy Land following health problems while performing the fifth tenet of Islam.

Tabung Haji Board chairman Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim said all burial arrangements and the death certificates would be arranged by Tabung Haji there and after all arrangements had been completed, the death certificates would be handed over to the family members of the deceased.

"Tabung Haji personnel in Makkah will inform me if there is any death there so that we can inform the next of kin of the deceased," he told reporters after visiting the family of a pilgrim who had died in Mecca, at Kampung Pokok Pauh Dalam, Pokok Sena near here today.

Abdul Azeez was visiting the family of Jasin Taib, 73, the 15th pilgrim who passed away in Mecca last Monday.

A Tabung Haji delegation visited the family of the late pilgrim to hand over aid to his eldest son, Ghazali, 52.

Jasin was reported to have died at the King Abdulaziz Hospital in Jeddah at 10.30pm (local time) while receiving treatment and was buried at the Syara'ik cemetery in Mecca.

Abdul Azeez said Jasin's wife, Siti Aminah Abau, 70 and youngest son, Abdul Rashid, 40, who were also performing the haj, would be returning to Malaysia on Nov 14.

-- BERNAMA