The Mina Hajj Tragedy

God have mercy on all those that were affected by the Mina Hajj tragedy. At last count, 362 Hajj pilgrims perished in the stampede incident. Two years ago, a similar tragedy occurred.

However, amidst the gloom, it is heartening to note that the Saudi Arabian government will be spending a fortune to create a better infrastructure and atmosphere at Mina. This action is not a direct result of the Mina tragedy, but had been planned a few years ago. In four years' time, Mina will have a five-storey air-conditioned structure to accommodate the millions that throng this area to perform the Hajj rituals.

I am relieved that no Malaysian pilgrim died in this tragedy. However, to all future pilgrims, just be careful and be aware of your surroundings.