Malaysia has removed quotas and other restrictions on Christians from the Muslim majority nation making their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, government and church officials said.
The move comes after a string of clashes in recent years between the government and the Christian minority and ahead of national polls which must be held by the middle of next year.
Malaysia bars travel to Israel but the government has previously allowed Christians to travel to the historic city regarded as holy to both Christians and Muslims.
However, according to the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), the government imposed a quota of 700 pilgrims per year, with any one church only allowed to send one group of 40.
Visits were also limited to 10 days and pilgrims were only allowed one visit every three years, CFM executive secretary Tan Kong Beng told reporters on Wednesday.
But a letter sent from Prime Minister Najib Razak’s office to CFM president Ng Moon Hing on November 28 said these limits no longer applied save that visits could be for a maximum 21 days.
“But I think even Israel might not allow (such a long visit). We wouldn’t call these concessions as it was a process of consultation,” said Tan, who confirmed receipt of the letter.
