Kuala lumpur: Prospective pilgrims are urged not to be misled by cheap haj packages offered by operators or organisers who are not registered with the Pilgrims Fund Board (Tabung Haji – TH). Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, warned that some unlicensed companies offer packages as low as RM15,000 to RM20,000, which are often unrealistic.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Na’im emphasized that people are easily attracted to low prices, but these offers are usually unreasonable. When compared with legitimate costs, it becomes evident that the promised amount is far below the actual cost of performing the haj. Many individuals end up losing their money and stranded because they were lured by the cheap packages.

Mohd Na’im made these remarks after closing the Haj, Umrah and Tourism Carnival of the Haj Handlers (PJH) for the 1447H/2026M season. He further warned that fraudulent activities often involve the promotion of Mujamalah or Furada visas, which fall outside TH’s jurisdiction.

He noted that the Saudi Arabian government will enforce stricter regulations in the upcoming haj season, allowing only individuals with valid permits to perform the fifth pillar of Islam. He praised Malaysians for their discipline, which is consistently acknowledged by the Saudi Arabian authorities, and urged them to uphold these standards to preserve the reputations of Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Tabung Haji.

The three-day carnival, which began on Friday, featured 34 licensed PJH for the 1447H/2026M Haj season. It served as an ideal platform for prospective pilgrims to obtain accurate information and select haj packages from licensed operators in accordance with TH standards and Saudi Arabian regulations.