Selangor: The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has extended his congratulations to Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) on its remarkable achievement in securing the prestigious Labaytum Diamond Award for the second consecutive year for the 1447H/2026 haj season.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, a statement issued by the Istana Alam Shah highlighted that His Royal Highness viewed the accolade, awarded by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Haj and Umrah for the fifth time, as clear evidence of TH's efficiency, professionalism, and the strong commitment shown by its staff in managing Malaysian haj operations in Makkah and Madinah.
Sultan Sharafuddin expressed that the achievement was a source of pride not only for TH but also for the nation, reinforcing Malaysia's standing as a leader in systematic and efficient haj management based on syariah principles. His Royal Highness, having performed the haj pilgrimage twice and the umrah pilgrimage several times under TH's guidance, appreciated the quality of TH's services, welfare support, and management as being excellent, well-organised, and prioritising the comfort and safety of pilgrims.
The statement also recalled the establishment of TH, initiated by the late Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid, a prominent scholar and economist, who helped millions of Muslims perform the haj in a systematic manner. His forward-looking vision in 1959 introduced a syariah-compliant savings and investment model to help Malay Muslims save systematically for the haj.
In addition, Sultan Sharafuddin expressed his appreciation for Malaysian pilgrims who displayed exemplary discipline, good conduct, and strong moral values during their stay in the Holy Land. Their orderly conduct and adherence to regulations earned praise from Saudi Arabian authorities as well as pilgrims from other countries.
The excellence achieved during this year's haj season is attributed to close cooperation between the TH management, particularly its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain, haj officials, and the pilgrims themselves. Sultan Sharafuddin expressed confidence that TH will continue to maintain its excellence and consistently strive to improve its operations and service quality.
Sultan Sharafuddin hopes that TH will continue to be a source of pride for the country and remain committed to delivering the best services to the dhuyufurrahman for the benefit of the ummah and the well-being of all Muslims. The media previously reported Malaysia's enhanced standing as a global benchmark for haj management after TH successfully retained the Labaytum Award for the fifth consecutive time, along with the Diamond Award for the second time in the 1447H/2026 haj season, the highest recognition from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Haj and Umrah.