ஹஜ் தொடர்பில் ஆஸாத்தும், பைஸரும் விடுத்துள்ள அறிக்கை..!

We write this letter to express our deep concern over matters which are unfolding as of recently. Both of us, being members of the Hajj Committee, feel it is our duty to raise our voice against any injustice perpetrated or met out to the Muslim Community of this country, and that is precisely what is unfortunately taking place.

His Excellency the President had put forth an initiative to give 1000 Muslims in the country an opportunity to embark upon the religious pilgrimage of “Hajj” to the Holy city of Makkah at cost price so as to make it more affordable to those who could previously not afford this journey. 

Historically the Saudi Government has provisioned a quota of 2800 pilgrims to make this journey for the Hajj pilgrimage from Sri Lanka. Now it has come to our attention that the Minister of Muslim Affairs, Mr. Haleem, has taken it upon himself to take a delegation 7 people to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to accept the above mentioned quota of 2800. To learn of this news is immensely disheartening because of the simple fact that for a signing of such nature, there is no need for such a large delegation to go along as the Counsel General alone is an adequate enough authority to finalise this matter. 

We strongly believe that taking a delegation of this size is a blatant misuse of public funds. This goes to show the Minister’s lack of concern for the government of Maithripala Sirisena and their stringent efforts to reduce the unnecessary costs levied upon the public with grand gestures such as these.

We also feel as though taking this 7 member delegation which includes Honourable Haleem, his Private Secretary, Ministry Secretary, Director of the Muslim Department, Mr. Farooq, Mr. Fiaz of the Hajj Operators Association and Mr. Rizvi Mufti is a further effort by the Minister to give the quota of 2800 to the private sector as a result of which the general public is being preyed upon by the exorbitant prices being charged in the status quo. For the first time in history, such a huge delegation is being taken. 

This is an era of change within Sri Lanka, and we shall not stand by and remain silent whilst corruption and an attitude of self-interest threatens to seep back into a system that we are all trying very hard to reform. Therefore, we stand with clarity upon our stance of accountability and transparency within every action that is taken, and especially those concerning our own communities, for which we stand strong.

Azath Salley

Leader - National Unity Alliance

Central Provincial Counselor 

Faizer Mustapha

Member of Parliament