TH advises public to be vigilant of haj by proxy

KUALA LUMPUR: The Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) has advised the public to be more vigilant with offers to engage haj by proxy (badal haji) services, which are often promoted on social media by travel agencies and certain individuals.

TH, in a statement issued today, said that the statutory body and its agencies had never been involved in any form of promotion, offering or even the provision of haj by proxy services.

It said that the implementation of the fifth pillar of Islam requires each pilgrim from outside Saudi Arabia to obtain a visa to perform the haj, while locals need to apply for a permit first.

"As of now, the Saudi Arabian government has yet to issue any official announcement regarding the implementation of the haj pilgrimage for this year's season," the statement read.

TH also said that, apart from that, the offer of a haj proxy service at a rate below RM2,500 per person was also unreasonable, as the cost of permits and other expenses to be borne by the locals in Saudi Arabia was much higher than this.

"TH is very concerned about cases of fraudulent haj by proxy services that occur every year, and asks the public to ensure that agents or individuals who offer this service have permission to perform haj, and are qualified in terms of knowledge to perform services properly," it said.

-- BERNAMA