KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) has refuted allegations it distributed certain quotas to private parties or Registered Hajj Pilgrimage Operators (PJH).
It said the Haji quota of 31,600, allotted by the Saudi Arabian government, is according to the open Hajj registration system based on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis, implemented since 1995.
“Once prospective pilgrims have been selected in the annual quota, they can choose whether they want to perform the Hajj through TH (Muassasah) or through PJH companies, which TH has licensed.
“Prospective pilgrims who choose the PJH companies are those who can pay more than the cost of the pilgrimage to get better services from Muassasah,” TH said in a statement.
It added that claims of the agency only handling 11,000 pilgrims this year are untrue, as most pilgrims, or around 70 to 80 per cent, will be performing Hajj through Muassasah.
The PJH companies paid TH for each of their congregations for services and facilities in the Holy Land, including the mandatory payments imposed by Saudi Arabia.
TH also advises the public not to easily believe fake news circulating on social media, and prospective pilgrims should refer to TH’s official social media platform to obtain authentic, accurate and up-to-date information.
For more information, the public can contact the Tabung Haji Contact Centre (THCC) at 03-6207 1919.
— Bernama
