Public Warned Against Fake Badal Haj Offers

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 (Bernama) -- Muslims have been urged to verify the legitimacy of badal haj (haj by proxy) service offers, especially those promoted by travel agencies or individuals, to avoid falling victim to scams.

Tabung Haji (TH) Group managing director and chief executive officer, Mustakim Mohamad, said every time the start of the haj season approaches, there will be certain parties who would promote badal haj packages widely, whether in suraus and mosques or on social media.

He warned that many of these offers are priced unreasonably low and are even cheaper than the official haj package rates set by the Saudi Government for local residents.

“The Saudi Government mandates that foreign pilgrims must obtain a haj visa, while locals must secure an official permit from the authorities. Not all locals who apply are granted a permit.

“For the 1446H haj season, the lowest-priced package for Saudi residents was approximately SAR10,000 (RM11,300), which included the permit and tent accommodation in Masyair. However, this did not cover other essential expenses such as transport, lodging, and food in Makkah and Madinah,” he said in a statement today.

Mustakim stressed that it is not financially feasible to carry out a haj by proxy service below this cost, especially as Saudi residents are only allowed to perform haj once every five years.

He also highlighted fraudulent practices, including cases where a single individual was allegedly paid to perform badal haj on behalf of up to 200 people, which is a clear violation of both ethical and religious principles.

“This is against Islamic teachings and the rules outlined by religious authorities,” he said.

Saudi Arabia, he noted, has tightened enforcement of haj regulations, with pilgrims caught using invalid visas or permits facing penalties such as fines, imprisonment, and long-term bans from entering the kingdom.

“As such, the public should be cautious and sceptical of badal haj service advertised as low as RM1,500. Such a price should raise red flags.

“TH advises those intending to arrange badal haj to avoid relying on those promotional ads and instead seek guidance from verified and trustworthy sources to prevent being deceived by irresponsible parties,” he added.

-- BERNAMA