MAIWP has nothing to do with case of stranded haj pilgrims - Chairman

KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) today denied that it was implicated in the case involving about 380 prospective haj pilgrims who were stranded at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and the Movenpick Hotel and Convention Centre, KLIA, yesterday, believed to have been cheated by a travel agency.

MAIWP chairman Tan Sri Dr Mohd Daud Bakar said this comes following a viral photo showing two individuals believed to be the travel agency staff, holding a banner about the haj package provided by the company with the MAIWP Healthcare Sdn Bhd logo on it.

"They have nothing to do with MAIWP and MAIWP Healthcare, as our subsidiary company only acts as a vendor.

"They (the travel agency) use the services from MAIWP Healthcare to provide medical equipment there (in Makkah) and it is understood that payments have been made to MAIWP Healthcare," he said when met at a wakaf benefit distribution ceremony here today.

Mohd Daud stressed that MAIWP and its subsidiaries were not responsible for managing the pilgrims.

Expressing regret over the incident, he hoped that the involved parties would take full responsibility for what has happened.

The prospective haj pilgrims, who were gathered at Level 5, KLIA Departure Hall, are said to have been issued the furada or private Haj visa to perform their pilgrimage without going through Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH).

The furada visa is a private visa reportedly issued by Saudi Arabia, without involving the quota allocated to TH.

-- BERNAMA