Malaysians stranded in Mecca for using tourist visas to perform Haj

13-05-24

The Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) and the Pilgrims Fund Board (Tabung Haji - TH) are still looking for the best way to help a group of Malaysian pilgrims who were allegedly stranded in Makkah because they used tourist visas to perform the Haj pilgrimage.

Prime Minister's Department Deputy Minister (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan said this included the option of bringing home the affected Malaysians.

‘We are currently investigating and so far we have not been able to confirm the number of those stranded. ‘However, we are always in touch with the Malaysian Consulate (in Jeddah) because it is a shared responsibility to look after the welfare of Malaysians there,’ he told reporters after attending the International Waqf Conference 2024 (IWC24) here today.

According to media reports, some 300 prospective Malaysian pilgrims are now stranded in Mecca as the agency handling their travel has failed to deliver on a promise to obtain permission for the group to perform the Hajj pilgrimage this season.

It is learnt that the prospective group of pilgrims were duped with the offer of a cheap Hajj package using tourist visas to perform the pilgrimage.

Therefore, TH advised the pilgrims concerned to lodge an official complaint or report to TH and the Malaysian embassy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to facilitate the investigation.