Latest news with #HajPilgrimage
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
S'poreans urged to postpone non-essential travel to areas in Middle East affected by rising tensions
SINGAPORE – Singaporeans are urged to defer non-essential trips to areas affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and adhere to travel advisories by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is because the authorities are concerned over the escalating tensions in the region, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim. Speaking to the media at Changi Airport on June 25, Associate Professor Faishal noted that 43 haj pilgrims who were supposed to return to Singapore on a June 23 Scoot flight from Jeddah were affected when the flight was cancelled. An alternative flight via Malaysia Airlines was subsequently arranged, and the pilgrims safely landed back in Singapore on June 25, he said. Scoot had earlier cited operational and safety considerations for cancelling some flights to and from Jeddah, amid military strikes between Israel and Iran. Prof Faishal, who was at the airport to welcome home the final batch of haj pilgrims, said there were also some Singaporeans studying in the Middle East who were stranded after having booked flights home. They included students from Islamic universities in Jordan and Egypt, such as Al-Azhar University. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore has contacted the students, and they are currently on their journey back to Singapore, he added. Prof Faishal said that all Singaporean haj pilgrims who performed their pilgrimage in 2025 have returned to Singapore safely. The haj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and takes place over five or six days. In 2025, Singapore and Saudi Arabia struck a deal to allow 900 slots for Singaporeans to perform the haj pilgrimage. At the airport, Prof Faishal congratulated the Saudi Arabian government for its 'tremendous effort' in organising a successful haj for 1.67 million pilgrims around the world. He also noted that there were about 890 outpatient visits in 2025 to the Singapore Pilgrims' Affairs Office (Spao) in Shisha and Madinah. Spao introduced a hybrid model for medical services in 2024, working closely with a Saudi-based medical service provider and appointing medical professionals to be attached to respective haj travel agents for the medical needs of pilgrims. Prof Faishal said: 'Spao's hybrid model worked well with medical teams from both Singapore and Saudi, and we were able to provide medical attention and quality care to our pilgrims.' Prof Faishal, who took over the Muslim Affairs portfolio from Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli in May, said he has received encouraging feedback from pilgrims and their family members that bus services and facilities in Arafah and Mina, two significant locations in Mecca, have improved. He urged returning pilgrims to continue monitoring their health and to seek medical attention if they feel unwell. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- New Straits Times
Enhance enforcement, prosecution to curb haj, umrah package scams - Mohd Na'im
KUALA LUMPUR: The enforcement and prosecution of fraudulent haj and umrah packages must be stepped up and carried out more decisively, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar. He said tougher prosecution and harsher penalties could serve as a lesson to offenders and help prevent similar incidents in the future. Mohd Na'im said Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH), the body overseeing haj affairs, has no mandate to initiate legal action. "I believe enforcement is crucial. We've established a special task force involving the police, the Tourism, Arts, and Culture Ministry, and TH, but under the TH Act, they've no enforcement powers. "TH can only lodge a police report, after which the prosecution will take action. "So, while there are already prosecutions and fairly heavy penalties, what we need now is stronger enforcement and firmer prosecution," he told reporters after the national-level Maal Hijrah 2025 celebrations at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec) here today. Mohd Na'im said any TH-licensed company found to be involved in fraud will have its licence revoked, adding that ministry holds similar powers over umrah agencies. Citing Saudi Arabia's strict enforcement measures, he said the country has successfully prevented the entry of haj pilgrims without valid visas through extensive monitoring and operations. "I had a discussion this morning with Saudi Arabia's Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Tawfig Fawzan Muhammed Al-Rabiah, who informed me that the ministry implemented stricter enforcement this year, including mounting raids on hotels and accommodation premises," he said. Media reports cited the harrowing experience faced by 47 Malaysian senior citizens who were duped by an agent and forced to take dangerous routes to reach Makkah after they arrived in Jeddah to perform the haj. It was confirmed that the company linked to the fraud involving 47 haj pilgrims did not possess a valid licence or accreditation as a Haj Pilgrimage Operator (PJH), authorised to manage pilgrimage arrangements. In April, the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced penalties for individuals and parties who violate haj permit regulations, including a 10-year ban from entering the country. – Bernama
Malay Mail
17-06-2025
- Malay Mail
Haj travel fraud hard to detect when agents use holiday cover, says Islamic Affairs minister after 47 Malaysian pilgrims duped
JASIN, June 17 — The company linked to a recent fraud involving 47 Malaysian haj pilgrims has been confirmed to be operating without a valid licence or accreditation as a Haj Pilgrimage Operator (PJH), which is required to manage haj travel arrangements. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said preliminary checks showed that the agent in question was not affiliated with any company officially accredited by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) or the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Haj and Umrah. 'It is not a PJH company and most likely a travel agent. There is also a possibility that they entered Jeddah illegally to perform the haj using tourist visas or those from other countries, and if that is the case, it would indeed be difficult for us to detect the offence,' he told reporters after visiting and distributing prayer items to the Muslim community at Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Seraya here yesterday. Commenting further, Mohd Na'im said the group of pilgrims was believed to have first travelled to another destination, most likely Türkiye, before entering Saudi Arabia. 'In this case, I understand they travelled from Jeddah via Türkiye and not directly back here (to Malaysia). So they entered Jeddah from Türkiye, and we cannot stop them if their stated reason is for a holiday or similar,' he said. He added that his ministry had undertaken numerous measures to curb such fraud cases, including issuing no fewer than 10 media statements during each haj season to warn pilgrims to remain vigilant against unscrupulous parties. Among the efforts, he said, included setting up a special task force with TH, the Immigration Department and the Royal Malaysia Police, as well as tightening regulatory oversight of all haj travel agents and taking stern action against unlicensed operators. Media reports previously stated that 47 Malaysian pilgrims were believed to have been duped by a local haj agent allegedly linked to a well-known religious figure. — Bernama
Malay Mail
15-06-2025
- Malay Mail
‘We ate one egg between five': Malaysian Haj pilgrims detail nightmare journey to Mecca after alleged scam
SEPANG, June 15 — 'This is all Allah's will. You must accept it. The greater the hardship, the greater the reward.' Those were reportedly the words used by a prominent religious figure to pacify a group of 49 Malaysian Haj pilgrims, many of them elderly, as what was promised to be a smooth pilgrimage instead became a harrowing and dangerous ordeal in Saudi Arabia. The group, who returned to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) today, allege they were deceived by a local Haj agent claiming to offer legitimate packages. Instead, they say they were forced to endure extreme hardship, including trekking through deserts and climbing rocky hills to enter Mecca without valid documentation. Speaking to reporters at KLIA Terminal 1, a 63-year-old trader from Batu Pahat, Johor, said the ordeal began after their initial six-day stay in Madinah. 'Things were still manageable in Madinah. But once we were moved to Mecca, everything changed. We had to walk through deserts and climb hills. It was dangerous,' he said. The pilgrims claim they were smuggled into the Holy City via unofficial and hazardous routes to avoid detection by Saudi authorities, as none of them possessed valid Haj visas, a violation of Saudi law that could carry serious legal and safety implications. According to earlier reports, the group had departed for Saudi Arabia on May 9. They later claimed they were held in cramped, dark rooms and asked to pay an additional RM9,000 to retrieve their belongings despite already having paid RM30,000 each for the Haj package. One of the returnees, a 64-year-old lecturer and wife of the Johor trader, described how food was scarce and the group was left to ration minimal meals. 'We shared one fried egg and two small fish between five people. Two pieces of chicken were divided among seven. When we asked why, the organiser told us to accept our fate and place our trust in God,' she said. Forty-eight of the 49 pilgrims returned to Malaysia via Turkish Airlines flight TK60. One individual is believed to have continued their travels to Switzerland. Police said three reports have been lodged by the victims' families and investigations are underway to identify those behind the suspected scam targeting pilgrims. — Bernama
