KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — The new standard operating procedure (SOP) which makes it mandatory for Malaysian umrah pilgrims to take the Covid-19 vaccine booster is based on a request by the Saudi Arabian government, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Idris Ahmad.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — Umrah pilgrims are required to take the Covid-19 vaccine booster dose under the new standard operating procedures (SOPs) announced by the government, effective February 14.

KOTA BHARU, Feb 6 — The government will pay up to 60 per cent of the losses incurred by pilgrims affected by the month-long temporary postponement of umrah travel imposed since January 8, said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary.

KOTA BHARU, Jan 30 — The government will refine standard operating procedures (SOP) to ensure Muslims going for their Umrah pilgrimage have completed their two doses of the Covid-19 vaccines.

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 29 — The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) said the new standard operating procedure (SOP) for umrah travel has been refined with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and would be brought to a quartet meeting for approval.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — The risk assessment and standard operating procedure (SOP) for umrah travel, specifically for the timeline for the reopening of umrah travel will be finalised by mid-February.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — A total of 16 Covid-19 clusters involving umrah pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia have been detected from November 25, 2021 until today, with seven of the clusters’ index cases confirmed to be of the Omicron variant.

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 9 — The approval process for the advertisement of umrah packages has been suspended from January 8, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) said in a statement today.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 — The Health Ministry (MOH) foresees that daily Covid-19 infections will reach 30,000 cases if measures are not taken to curb the Omicron wave.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — Daily Covid-19 infections in the country fell to 2,690 cases, taking the cumulative total as of noon today to 2,767,044.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 — The temporary suspension of travel permission to perform the umrah is to slow down the spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant as data obtained showed that almost 78 per cent of the ‘presumptive’ new Omicron cases are from those returning from the pilgrimage, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — Those who have made arrangements to go for the umrah, including paid for the package,  but are unable to go  following the government's temporary suspension of travel permission to perform the pilgrimage, will be refunded or their travel rescheduled, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — The government has decided to temporarily suspend the permission for travelling to perform the umrah beginning January 8 to curb the spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 28 — The Health Ministry (MOH) is of the view that it was still too early to impose a travel ban for the Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca following an increase in Omicron variant cases, its minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.

KOTA BHARU, Nov 20 — Marriages using the services of a syndicate are feared not to be conducted according to Islamic law which can cause the marriage to be invalid, said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary.

KUALA LUMPUR,  Oct 17  — The government, through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac), has set the floor price for an umrah package of 12 days and 10 nights at RM6,900.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — The cost of performing umrah is expected to increase following the enforcement of the new standard operating procedures (SOPs) to contain the Covid-19 pandemic by the Saudi Arabian government.

MAKKAH, Aug 8 —  Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday that it will gradually begin receiving Umrah requests from vaccinated foreign pilgrims starting Monday, reported Saudi Press agency (SPA).

MARANG, Aug 5 — Malaysians are expected to be allowed to visit Saudi Arabia, including to perform the umrah pilgrimage this year, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.

RIYADH, July 25 — Saudi Arabia re-opened the Muslim holy sites for the Umrah pilgrimage as of Sunday, Anadolu Agency reported, quoting the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA).