Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian pilgrims who obtain a Furada Visa or Mujamalah Visa are advised to use the services of Pilgrimage Operators (PJH) licensed by Tabung Haji (TH). TH Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Syed Hamadah Syed Othman stated that a total of 37 PJH companies held Tourism Operator Licences issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). These companies possess the financial strength, expertise, and experience necessary to ensure the welfare of pilgrims. He emphasized that TH continuously monitors all PJH from the planning stage to implementation to ensure that all pilgrims receive proper services and to prevent fraud.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Syed Hamadah explained that the issuance of Furada and Mujamalah Visas for specific groups is the exclusive right of the Saudi Arabian government and falls outside the official national hajj quota. The Saudi Arabian government is implementing initiatives to enhance the efficiency of hajj procedures to facilitate the pilgrimage process and ensure the safety of pilgrims globally. He mentioned that Saudi Arabia will introduce stricter security measures during the peak hajj period with an efficient verification system to check every pilgrim entering the Masyair area. The use of unauthorized visas will lead to legal action and heavy fines.

Meanwhile, TH fully supports the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) advisory for the public to be cautious of hajj fraud syndicates and not to be misled by offers of visas and hajj packages outside the national hajj quota. Syed Hamadah stressed that any individual or travel agency offering hajj packages without a licence from TH is committing an offence and could face legal action under the Tabung Haji Act 1995 (Act 535). PDRM’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department recently revealed that 44 cases of hajj and umrah fraud were investigated in 2024, involving losses totaling RM890,810.53.