Minister announces Motac’s decision to revoke licences of travel agencies misusing tourist and umrah visas for Haj pilgrimage

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac) has taken swift action to address the issue of travel agencies misusing tourist and umrah visas for Haj purposes. Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing announced that licenses of any agencies found guilty of this offense will be immediately revoked.

The ministry’s secretary-general, Datuk Roslan Abdul Rahman, has been tasked with investigating the incident of prospective haj pilgrims stranded in Makkah after falling victim to cheap haj packages offered by an irresponsible travel agency. It was reported that around 300 Malaysian pilgrims were left stranded in Mecca after being scammed by a tour agency offering cheap packages using tourist visas.

Tiong emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating that any party found guilty of such offenses will face consequences. He also warned umrah pilgrims against overstaying until the Haj season, as it is considered an offense under Saudi government regulations.

The minister urged affected pilgrims to report to Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) and the Malaysian embassy in Jeddah for assistance and advice. He stressed the importance of following proper procedures and obtaining valid permits for Haj pilgrimage to ensure the safety and well-being of Malaysian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing, with Tourism Malaysia looking into the matter and preparing a comprehensive report. Tiong assured that necessary actions will be taken to prevent such incidents from happening in the future and to protect the interests of Malaysian pilgrims.