Kuala Lumpur, 12 June 2021 – The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) welcomes and support the statement by the Commercial Crime Investigation Department, PDRM on 10th June 2021 relating to fraudulent activities related to Hajj and Umrah packages for the 2021 season, which are being offered by several companies during the current COVID-19 pandemic period.
MATTA is calling for the pilgrims to take proper measures and be extra careful with matters concerning Hajj and badal Haji in view of the risks and issues of fraudulent activities in the Hajj season in this pandemic period.
MATTA Umrah Vice President Haji Mohd Azri bin Abd Razak advised the public not to deal with individuals and companies that are not registered with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). Any inquiry regarding Hajj matters and badal Haji should be dealt only by travel companies registered with MOTAC and having the Umrah license. Azri also advised that travel packages involving Hajj muassasah should be dealt with the syarikat tabung haji and also the panel tabung haji. The charges for Hajj and badal Haji packages must be at a reasonable price and in accordance with the current situation taking into account the pandemic.
MATTA wish to stress that the implementation of Hajj and Umrah this time is different from the norm and practices before the Covic-19 pandemic as now the pilgrims has to abide with the SOPs by the Saudi Arabia government. It is important to note that the Malaysian government has not yet receive the Hajj quota from the Saudi Arabia government for Hajj season 2021.
The Saudi Arabia government has stipulated a prerequisite condition for pilgrims to perform Hajj and Umrah that the pilgrims must have completed 2 doses of vaccination that is recognized by the Saudi Arabia government, including Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna. Our government is still waiting for the Saudi Arabia government to approve the Sinovac vaccine as it has received recognition from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Azri expressed his wish for the Malaysian government to reopen international borders for the Hajj and umrah travel which have been closed since March 2020 so as to give opportunities to pilgrims who have been vaccinated to perform the Hajj and Umrah.
HAJI MOHD AZRI BIN ABD RAZAK
Vice President Umrah and Hajj
Term 2019 – 2021