KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has suggested the authorities impose a jail sentence on travel agencies cheating haj pilgrims to eradicate the scam.
Its president Datuk Dr Mohd Khalid Harun said to avoid being duped, prospective pilgrims who dealt with travel agencies could contact MATTA if they had any doubts.
He said prospective pilgrims needed a haj visa to make the pilgrimage.
“Ensure you have a haj visa. Get the proof before providing any documents such as passports, and do not pay until there is a flight guarantee,” he said.
Mohd Khalid also said travel agencies should not trade the haj visas awarded to them at will and should set reasonable service charges.
“Make sure the travel agencies have received the offer (haj visas),” he said, Bernama reported.
On July 7, a group of 380 prospective haj pilgrims were stranded at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
They were said to be victims of a scam by a travel agency.
They were believed to have used furada visas, which are self-managed and reportedly issued by Saudi Arabia.
They are not included in the Tabung Haji (TH) quota.
TH had previously warned that any individual or travel agency offering haj packages without approval was committing an offence and could face legal action under the Tabung Haji Act 1995 (Act 535).