Some travel agencies have had their licences revoked for not fulfilling what was offered to pilgrims, according to Tiong King Sing. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: The tourism, arts and culture ministry will review the eligibility of all travel agencies offering umrah packages to pilgrims.
Its minister Tiong King Sing said this is in view of multiple incidents where pilgrims have been scammed, adding that some travel agencies have since had their licence revoked for not fulfilling the umrah packages sold to their customers.
“However, we are still receiving complaints on the same problem. I have been made to understand that there are still some stubborn travel agencies that promote umrah packages but aren’t able to fulfill them.
“Some pilgrims were not taken to their destinations nor provided the services promised by these agencies under the umrah package. Even worse, they are unable to contact these firms when they arrive in Saudi Arabia,” he said in a statement.
Tiong said his deputy, Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, will lead a task force to review the eligibility of these companies, with the committee to submit a full report on the matter in a month’s time.
The report will distinguish between travel agencies that have been able to conduct their business well and those that have not, he added.
The minister added that he will meet the Saudi ambassador to Malaysia and the Saudi haj and umrah minister to discuss Malaysia’s haj quota.
“All travel agents must report the activities of their customers throughout their umrah trips to the ministry. This will ensure that my ministry can ensure that everything promised to their customers is fulfilled.”
There have been multiple reports of prospective haj pilgrims being scammed by travel agencies in the past year, with numerous police reports lodged as victims claim losses in the millions.
In August 2022, the director of a travel agency was charged at the sessions court with advertising haj package services using the furada visa (private haj visa) without a valid licence from Lembaga Tabung Haji.
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