KUALA LUMPUR – Tabung Haji (TH) has been instructed to investigate the incident involving 300 prospective haj pilgrims who were stranded in Mecca after being deceived by an irresponsible travel agency that had offered them cheap haj packages.
Religious affairs ministers Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, in a statement today, advised all affected to contact the Malaysian Embassy in Saudi Arabia for assistance.
“The Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), through TH, has consistently reminded Muslims in the country to be more cautious of any cheap package offers from unlicensed travel agencies,” he said.
Na’im said anyone offering haj packages without TH approval is breaking the law and legal action can be taken under the Tabung Haji Act 1995 (Act 535)
TH has appointed 25 local travel companies to serve as haj pilgrimage operators for the 1445H/2024M haj season, which is part of its annual preparations.
Na’im advised Muslims to use only the services of companies appointed as haj pilgrimage operators by TH for their pilgrimage.
Earlier, the media reported that about 300 prospective haj pilgrims, already in Mecca, were left stranded after the agency handling their travel failed to fulfill its promise to obtain permission for them to perform haj this season.
The group realised they had been deceived after discovering that the agency involved was using tourist visas instead of haj visas for the pilgrimage. – May 11, 2024