Would-be pilgrims accept haj decision
By Aidil Razak and Farah Solhi - June 12, 2020 @ 10:00am
KUALA LUMPUR : Those who were supposed to perform their haj this year have taken the news of the postponement of the annual event in their stride.
Rasmi Wajana, 68, from Tawau, Sabah, said although disappointed, she believed it was necessary for the safety of the pilgrims.
"This year was supposed to be my turn after waiting for eight years.
"This decision was not easy for everyone but it had to be made," said Rasmi, who was supposed to perform the haj with her son, Darwis Riduan, 48.
Although she had spent close to RM20,000 on the trip, she would not ask for a refund as she wanted to secure a place in the pilgrimage next year.
"I want to keep my money in Tabung Haji (TH) and hope to be selected again next year. Everything happens for a reason," she said.
A representative from MKM Ticketing Travel and Tours, which handles haj packages, said it had anticipated the deferment.
"We've received payments for haj packages from almost 800 pilgrims who had been approved to perform the pilgrimage this year," said the representative, who declined to be named.
He said fewer than 40 pilgrims had requested for a full refund, while the others were hoping to be selected for next year.
He said most pilgrims understood the reason behind the deferment.
"They understand that it was a hard decision as the Covid-19 pandemic affected not just Malaysians but also other pilgrims worldwide.
"They understand that safety comes first."
He said the company was awaiting further details from the government on the refund process.
"We've paid for hotels and flight tickets. Following the announcement, we've begun talks with airlines on the next course of action.
"We were told by the hotel agent to seek more information from the Malaysian authorities on the refunds."
He said the company was expecting to incur huge losses following the deferment.
"We are taking it one step at a time. We hope to secure places for our pilgrims next year so that payments that have been made can be kept for next year's haj purposes," he said.
Mohd Faizul Mohd Salleh, a mutawif (guide) with El Izzah Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd, said the agency had incurred losses running into hundreds of thousands of ringgit.
"If the pilgrims want a full refund, our agency is willing to absorb other costs," he said.
The decision to defer this year's haj season was reached after a briefing by the Health Ministry and TH and a discussion by the special Muzakarah (discussion) Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs on June 9.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri made the announcement yesterday after receiving the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.