KUALA LUMPUR: 296 Malaysians in Saudi Arabia are eligible to perform the haj this year, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.

Last year, only eight Malaysians in the country were able to perform the haj.

He said Tabung Haji (TH) would provide online haj courses to all the pilgrims.

"Tomorrow night, God willing I will hold an interview with prospective Malaysian pilgrims who are in the holy city of Makkah Al-Mukarramah," he said on RTM TV1's Salam Baitullah programme tonight.

The Saudi Arabian government had earlier decided that the pilgrimage this season would only be for Saudi citizens and residents of other countries who were in the country following the alarming situation of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world.

-- BERNAMA