Kuala Lumpur: The enhanced Nusuk Card for haj pilgrims now incorporates a quick response (QR) code to combat forgery, as announced by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar. The card has been fortified with several security features to ensure the protection and authenticity of its holders.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Na’im highlighted that the card, with its multiple enhanced security layers, makes duplication attempts challenging. These upgrades have been introduced by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah. This announcement was made during the Send-off Ceremony for Malaysian Haj Pilgrims for the 1446H/2025M Haj Season. Also in attendance was Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain.

Introduced three years ago, the Nusuk Card serves as the official identification document for pilgrims, facilitating their entry into sacred sites such as Masjidil Haram in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and other pilgrimage locations.

Earlier, Mohd Na’im advised the 284 Malaysian pilgrims departing for the Holy Land to carefully protect their Nusuk Cards, which include personal data such as passport and visa information. He likened the importance of the card to Malaysia’s national identification card, MyKad, and urged pilgrims to treat it with the same level of care.

Regarding flight arrangements for this haj season, Mohd Na’im stated that 100 special chartered flights via AMAL by Malaysia Airlines Bhd and Saudia Airlines have been arranged starting today, with the last flight scheduled for June 1. The first batch of Malaysian pilgrims is anticipated to land at the Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah at 7.50 am (Saudi time) tomorrow.

Malaysia has been allocated a haj quota of 31,600 pilgrims by the Saudi Arabian government this year, who will be arriving in stages.