The Singapore Pilgrims’ Affairs Office (SPAO) has been conferred the Labbaitum Award by Saudi Arabia for providing efficient services, as well as quality and creative initiatives to Singaporean pilgrims during this year’s haj season.
The Labbaitum Award, which evaluates the services provided by haj offices around the world, is handed out by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Haj and Umra.
SPAO, set up by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), was evaluated against 30 other countries’ offices with fewer than 3,000 pilgrims.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli congratulated SPAO and noted that it was “the first time that Singapore has been given this prestigious award”.
“It recognises SPAO’s excellent service to our Singapore pilgrims, coupled with quality initiatives such as the PilgrimSG mobile application,” Mr Masagos said.
Launched in 2022, the PilgrimSG app provides real-time information on pilgrims’ movements and activities via Global Positioning System, or GPS.
The app also allows pilgrims to book medical consultations, and use a “hot button” to request emergency assistance.
Mr Sa’at Abdul Rahman, Muis’ head of delegation, and Mr Kadir Maideen, head of SPAO, received the award from Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Haj and Umra Tawfiq Fawzan Al Rabiah at the haj closing ceremony in Mecca, said Muis in a statement on Sunday.
Mr Kadir commended the SPAO team for its “unwavering commitment to ensure Singaporean pilgrims enjoy a seamless and meaningful haj journey”, Muis said.
“He further extended his appreciation to the appointed travel agencies providing haj services, the Singapore Consulate Office in Jeddah, and the Saudi authorities for their unyielding support to our team,” the statement added.
Last November, Singapore’s Mufti and Muis’ Fatwa Committee were conferred the Imam Al-Qarafi Award for Distinction in Fatwa for their contributions in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and other contemporary issues affecting Muslims.
Mr Masagos said these successes proved that although small, Singapore’s minority Muslim community is “capable of making a mark in the world”.
