First group of haj pilgrims return home
The group of 283 pilgrims, mainly from Kedah and Selangor, departed from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah aboard Malaysia Airlines' AMAL flight MH8251 at 5.40am local time.
Their arrival was welcomed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar, alongside Tabung Haji (TH) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain and TH Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mustakim Mohamad.
"Alhamdulillah, this year's haj operations have gone smoothly and we are now beginning to bring the pilgrims home safely," said Mohd Na'im.
He also congratulated TH for receiving the prestigious Labaytum Diamond Award, recognising the agency's efforts to enhance service quality and haj management internationally.
Among the key successes this year, Mohd Na'im noted, was the safe completion of wuquf, the pivotal standing at Arafah, by all Malaysian pilgrims, including 95 ailing pilgrims who were transported in 10 specially arranged buses under the Safari Wuquf programme.
Meanwhile, Mustakim said that despite ongoing challenges such as extreme heat and limited tent space in Mina, TH continues to implement improvements aimed at enhancing pilgrims' comfort and safety.
These included adding extra toilet facilities and storage space during the critical Masyair phase of the haj.
A total of 100 chartered flights operated by Amal and Saudia Airlines are scheduled to repatriate the entire Malaysian contingent of 31,600 pilgrims, with flights beginning today and concluding on Thursday, July 10.
– Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Colourful National Day celebration in Putrajaya
PUTRAJAYA: Putrajaya will burst into colour on Aug 31 as Malaysia marks National Day. There will be parades, performances and community festivities to unite the nation in patriotism. The celebration will begin on Aug 30 with Riuh Merdeka, a festival of entertainment and togetherness. From noon until the next day, visitors can enjoy 20 live performances by Malaysian artistes, an open-air film screening and a feast from 60 food trucks at Monumen Alaf Baru in Precinct 2. But the highlight would come at dawn on National Day, said Information Department director-general Julina Johan. "By 7am, leaders will gather to welcome His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, whose arrival will mark the start of the official ceremony," she said at a media briefing on the National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations here yesterday. She said a recital of the Rukun Negara and a 14-gun salute would set the tone of the celebration before a parade of impressive scale and colour takes centre stage. She said more than 14,000 participants, including students, uniformed personnel and non-governmental organisations, would march along the 2.1km route from Dataran Putra. The spectacle, she said, would feature 78 vehicles, seven decorated floats, 116 animals and 21 marching bands. This year's event was designed to be more accessible and comfortable for the public, she said. "A total of 15,000 parking spaces have been set aside across nearby precincts, with free transport by 100 shuttle buses and six water taxis on Putrajaya Lake. "Spectator seating has been doubled to 8,000, supported by 12 giant LED screens, 18 medical tents, five surau and more than 200 portable toilets. The celebration extends beyond the parade. The nationwide Jualan Rahmah Merdeka Madani campaign, which started on Aug 15, will keep basic goods affordable in the run-up to National Day, while the #BersamaMalaysia campaign urges Malaysians to reflect on the meaning of independence. The full dress rehearsal on Aug 29 will be open to the public. Julina advised visitors to plan ahead due to road closures in Putrajaya from 10pm on Aug 29 to 6pm on National Day.
Focus Malaysia
17 hours ago
- Focus Malaysia
A holiday needlessly ruined by false expectations
A REPORT with the heading 'Travel agency off the hook for not guiding group in Turkiye' merits discussion. What should have been a great holiday to Istanbul, Bursa, Ankara, Cappadocia and Pamukkale was ruined by false expectations from the start. A total of RM36,618 was paid for nine adults and two children for hotel rooms, full-board meals, transportation and entrance tickets for seven days and six nights stay in Turkiye. Upon return, the claimant filed for a RM5,000 refund at the Johor Consumer Claims Tribunal, although the travel agency is based at Sungai Petani in Kedah, complaining that 'the respondent did not consult us about engaging a Turkish ground operator to handle our group.' I am perplexed with the complaint because travel agencies are what they are. As intermediaries, their services are limited to making travel arrangements for customers who prefer to make use of them instead of 'Do it yourself' (DIY), which can be risky to new or unfamiliar destinations. As such, they do not provide any other service but merely act as agents for suppliers of various services, such as flights, accommodation, meals, transport and shows. Outbound tour operators that organise group tours for the public to join provide a tour leader as escort throughout. Upon arrival at various destinations, the tour group is usually joined by a local tour guide onboard the bus, either required by law or the tour leader is unable to provide local information. For 'free independent traveller' (FIT) which can be an individual, couple, family or small private group, a tour guide is not provided unless specially arranged and paid for. The person assigned to drive the tour vehicle may speak good or broken English. This reminds me of an incident about 15 years ago when the then Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen was furious upon receiving a complaint directly from foreign VIPs that the guide remained in his vehicle when they were at the National Monument cluelessly walking around. But he was actually the van driver and not trained to explain the significance of various structures in the area. The fault could either be the officer in the ministry who did not communicate clearly that passengers were VIPs, or the staff in the tour company did not bother to assign a tour guide. In this recent case, the travel agency had earlier suggested that the claimant engage a Malaysian tour leader to accompany the group in Turkiye at an additional charge, but this was declined by the claimant. During the hearing, the claimant said she was dissatisfied with the arrangements because the respondent had failed to handle the group from the start to the end of the trip, and had assigned the task to a Turkish ground operator. It was no surprise that the claim was dismissed with no refund given. But what were the causes of such misunderstandings or disagreements? Could it be that the travellers are from Johor and choose to deal remotely with a travel agency located in Kedah? Why were the claimants unhappy that the group was handled by a Turkish group operator and expected the travel agency to do so in Turkiye? Obviously, communication has always been the easiest and also the hardest thing to do. If we think it is common knowledge or common sense by assuming the other party fully understands, then misunderstandings can occur. It will help if it is also written down, including in point form. ‒ Aug 19, 2025 YS Chan is the master trainer for Mesra Malaysia and Travel and Tours Enhancement Course. He is an Asean Tourism Master Trainer and also a tourism and transport business consultant. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: Shutterstock
New Straits Times
20 hours ago
- New Straits Times
KLIA aerotrain maintenance key ahead of VM2026
KUALA LUMPUR: Proper upkeep of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) aerotrain system is vital to ensure smooth operations during peak hours, particularly with Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026) on the horizon. Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) president Nigel Wong said Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd's (MAHB) ongoing optimisation works would enhance passenger experience in the year ahead. "While it may appear to be negative news, the scheduled works are crucial to ensure the aerotrain functions optimally during peak periods. With VM2026 fast approaching, we hope these improvements will significantly enhance the visitor experience. "Service disruptions happen at airports worldwide. The key is to ensure minimal operational impact and to prevent prolonged breakdowns caused by lack of regular maintenance," he said. The new aerotrain, officially launched on July 1, is undergoing scheduled two-week maintenance works. MAHB said the works would be carried out during non-peak hours between midnight and 5am daily to minimise disruption, with airside shuttle buses provided to maintain connectivity between the main terminal and satellite buildings. However, transport expert Wan Agyl Wan Hassan said the system still relied on ageing support infrastructure. "While the new aerotrain meets current technical standards, having passed 80 system tests and a 2,000km 'fault-free run', it still depends on infrastructure built nearly 27 years ago. This includes critical tunnel drainage systems, which were not upgraded during the RM456 million investment. The drainage pumps that failed during heavy rainfall are original units from the late 1990s," he said. The former head of policy and planning at the now-defunct Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) described the overnight works as a delayed systems integration exercise. "Malaysia Airports is now addressing what should have been resolved before launch: software updates, sensor recalibration, real-time drainage mapping and full tunnel cleaning. This is not simply maintenance, it is catch-up work," he said. Although the aerotrain had secured certification from the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) and passed all operational tests, Wan Agyl questioned its readiness for real-world conditions, including unpredictable weather, legacy infrastructure and full passenger loads. "The fact that the system failed just 31 hours after its launch — officiated by the Prime Minister, no less — raises legitimate concerns. There is a difference between being technically cleared and being operationally mature. It is possible the project was 'technically ready' but not resilient enough for live operations at scale," he added. Calling for a full audit and upgrade of legacy systems, alongside the adoption of predictive maintenance using real-time sensors to detect faults before breakdowns occur, he said: "This two-week maintenance window is a good start, but it must evolve into a continuous digital maintenance regime. He also urged greater accountability in vendor contracts, including payment linked to performance and penalties for disruptions. "Publish monthly performance dashboards, explain what has been fixed, and be transparent about ongoing issues. Silence and defensiveness only fuel public distrust.
