Jeddah: Malaysians are reminded not to be easily fooled by dubious offers of badal hajj (haj by proxy) services, especially those offered at "extraordinarily" low prices compared to the actual cost of the pilgrimage. Malaysian Consul General in Jeddah Tengku Mohd Dzaraif Raja Abdul Kadir emphasized the high cost of performing hajj and warned that any unreasonable offer might not meet the prescribed pillars and obligatory hajj.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tengku Mohd Dzaraif cautioned, "If badal hajj services are offered at a cost that is too cheap, we need to be careful because it may involve things that do not meet the requirements of the pilgrimage." He made this statement to reporters following the arrival of the first group of pilgrims at the Hajj Terminal of King Abdul Aziz International Airport.

Earlier, 276 pilgrims of group KT48 arrived safely via the first direct KLIA-Jeddah flight at 4.40 am local time (9.40 am Malaysia time). Addressing the issue of badal hajj further, Tengku Mohd Dzaraif noted that domestic hajj packages in Saudi Arabia have a minimum cost ranging from RM9,000 to RM10,000. Offers below this range, he explained, might be illogical or dubious.

Tengku Mohd Dzaraif also mentioned that while no reports from Malaysians regarding badal hajj scams have been received, instances involving other countries reported by local media suggest the activity persists. He urged the public to conduct thorough checks and avoid rushing into payments for these services.

Additionally, he reminded pilgrims about the strict enforcement by the Saudi Arabian government ahead of the hajj season, including permit checks through the Nusuk system to ensure only those with valid visas are allowed in Makkah.