Latest news with #HajPilgrimage
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Malay Mail
Haj travel fraud hard to detect when agents use holiday cover, says Islamic Affairs minister after 47 Malaysian pilgrims duped
JASIN, June 17 — The company linked to a recent fraud involving 47 Malaysian haj pilgrims has been confirmed to be operating without a valid licence or accreditation as a Haj Pilgrimage Operator (PJH), which is required to manage haj travel arrangements. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said preliminary checks showed that the agent in question was not affiliated with any company officially accredited by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) or the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Haj and Umrah. 'It is not a PJH company and most likely a travel agent. There is also a possibility that they entered Jeddah illegally to perform the haj using tourist visas or those from other countries, and if that is the case, it would indeed be difficult for us to detect the offence,' he told reporters after visiting and distributing prayer items to the Muslim community at Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Seraya here yesterday. Commenting further, Mohd Na'im said the group of pilgrims was believed to have first travelled to another destination, most likely Türkiye, before entering Saudi Arabia. 'In this case, I understand they travelled from Jeddah via Türkiye and not directly back here (to Malaysia). So they entered Jeddah from Türkiye, and we cannot stop them if their stated reason is for a holiday or similar,' he said. He added that his ministry had undertaken numerous measures to curb such fraud cases, including issuing no fewer than 10 media statements during each haj season to warn pilgrims to remain vigilant against unscrupulous parties. Among the efforts, he said, included setting up a special task force with TH, the Immigration Department and the Royal Malaysia Police, as well as tightening regulatory oversight of all haj travel agents and taking stern action against unlicensed operators. Media reports previously stated that 47 Malaysian pilgrims were believed to have been duped by a local haj agent allegedly linked to a well-known religious figure. — Bernama
Malay Mail
7 days ago
- Malay Mail
‘We ate one egg between five': Malaysian Haj pilgrims detail nightmare journey to Mecca after alleged scam
SEPANG, June 15 — 'This is all Allah's will. You must accept it. The greater the hardship, the greater the reward.' Those were reportedly the words used by a prominent religious figure to pacify a group of 49 Malaysian Haj pilgrims, many of them elderly, as what was promised to be a smooth pilgrimage instead became a harrowing and dangerous ordeal in Saudi Arabia. The group, who returned to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) today, allege they were deceived by a local Haj agent claiming to offer legitimate packages. Instead, they say they were forced to endure extreme hardship, including trekking through deserts and climbing rocky hills to enter Mecca without valid documentation. Speaking to reporters at KLIA Terminal 1, a 63-year-old trader from Batu Pahat, Johor, said the ordeal began after their initial six-day stay in Madinah. 'Things were still manageable in Madinah. But once we were moved to Mecca, everything changed. We had to walk through deserts and climb hills. It was dangerous,' he said. The pilgrims claim they were smuggled into the Holy City via unofficial and hazardous routes to avoid detection by Saudi authorities, as none of them possessed valid Haj visas, a violation of Saudi law that could carry serious legal and safety implications. According to earlier reports, the group had departed for Saudi Arabia on May 9. They later claimed they were held in cramped, dark rooms and asked to pay an additional RM9,000 to retrieve their belongings despite already having paid RM30,000 each for the Haj package. One of the returnees, a 64-year-old lecturer and wife of the Johor trader, described how food was scarce and the group was left to ration minimal meals. 'We shared one fried egg and two small fish between five people. Two pieces of chicken were divided among seven. When we asked why, the organiser told us to accept our fate and place our trust in God,' she said. Forty-eight of the 49 pilgrims returned to Malaysia via Turkish Airlines flight TK60. One individual is believed to have continued their travels to Switzerland. Police said three reports have been lodged by the victims' families and investigations are underway to identify those behind the suspected scam targeting pilgrims. — Bernama
