PM Lee asks Saudi Arabia to increase annual Haj quota for Singapore

Lee says Singapore's current quota of 680 was based on a formula decided 30 years ago.

The request from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was handed over to Saudi author tie on Thursday by a delegation vesting Riyadh.

The prime minister has sought an increase in Haj quota from 680 to 800 for the country's Muslim population of 800,000.

In his letter to Saudi King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud, Lee says Singapore's current quota of 680 was based on a formula decided by the Organisation of Islamic Conference almost 30 years ago.

"Since then, Singapore's Muslim population has grown by about 20 per cent but our quota has remained unchanged," Lee said in the letter, AsiaOne reported.

Muslims comprise about 15 per cent of the city state's population currently.

Lee also said Singapore is seeking an additional 200 places in its Haj quota for this year.

"I appreciate the heavy responsibility and complexity of the Haj operations undertaken by the Kingdom," Lee said.

An estimated 2 million people had arrived in Saudi Arabia for the annual Muslim pilgrimage in 2015.

Last year's pilgrimage was marked by tragedy as a stampede at the site where the symbolic stoning of the devil takes place at Mina killed at least 717 people and wounded 850 more.

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