AMID rising cases of fraudulent haj packages involving bogus visas, Malaysian experts are calling for a comprehensive act to regulate haj and umrah services, ensuring better protection for pilgrims and stronger enforcement against unscrupulous operators.
Despite repeated warnings from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah that only those holding official haj visas may enter the Kingdom for pilgrimage, syndicates continue to exploit vulnerable individuals with illegitimate packages.
Dr Hazrin Izwan Che Haron, Head of Strategic Generation Management at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, proposed a dedicated law to consolidate and enhance existing regulations, currently enforced across multiple agencies.
“This proposal could grant stronger enforcement powers to the relevant authorities, allowing them to seize assets, freeze accounts, and promptly halt operations,” he said.
He also suggested the introduction of a mandatory insurance scheme for haj packages, protecting payments in the event of cancellations, fraud, or logistical issues.
“This (proposed) enhanced act can also establish an insurance scheme mechanism for haj packages, which must be made mandatory for each pilgrim to ensure that their payments are protected in the event of package cancellations, scams and logistical failures (visa errors),” he told Bernama.
Dr Hazrin further recommended a trust account system, whereby payments would be held in a pilgrim-specific account and only disbursed to travel agencies in phases according to the progress of the journey.
“This method is efficient in preventing the misappropriation of funds while ensuring that the rights of haj and umrah pilgrims are protected,” he said.
Associate Professor Dr Noor Dzuhaidah Osman, Senior Lecturer at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, echoed the call for firmer action. She urged the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) to intensify their enforcement efforts, including heavier penalties and the blacklisting of rogue operators.
“TH should establish a public database of licensed agents by listing all authorised haj and umrah operators, making it easier for prospective pilgrims to verify their credentials before making any payments,” she said.
She also stressed that public vigilance remains essential. “Public awareness remains the key factor in preventing scams,” she noted, urging the public to avoid deals that appear too good to be true.
In a statement to Bernama, TH confirmed that it could act swiftly against misconduct by licensed operators, including revoking licences or imposing fines. However, enforcement against unlicensed agencies requires cooperation with other bodies such as the police and MOTAC.
According to TH, many scams involve false claims about converting umrah or tourist visas into haj visas upon arrival in Saudi Arabia. “We can only assume that prospective pilgrims were promised the conversion of umrah or tourist visas into haj visas, along with offers of unrealistically cheap or fully sponsored packages,” it said.
TH stated that 37 travel agencies are officially licensed to handle haj arrangements, and it does not offer umrah packages. It urged pilgrims to only engage authorised haj tour operators (PJH), which are subject to continuous monitoring.
On Thursday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said Saudi authorities had released 47 Malaysian pilgrims who were deceived by a local agent and entered the country without valid haj permits. They were issued official warnings. - June 23, 2025
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