Haj pilgrims recount harrowing ordeal after alleged scam
SEPANG: "This is all Allah's will. You must accept it. The greater the hardship, the greater the reward."
It is claimed that a senior religious figure used these words to reassure a group of 49 Malaysian haj pilgrims, many of whom were elderly, when what was promised to be a trouble-free pilgrimage would instead turn into a terrifying and life-threatening ordeal in Saudi Arabia.
The group, who returned to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Sunday (June 15), allege they were deceived by a local haj agent claiming to offer legitimate packages. Instead, they say they were forced to endure extreme hardship, including trekking through deserts and climbing rocky hills to enter Makkah without valid documentation.
Speaking to reporters at KLIA Terminal 1, a 63-year-old trader from Batu Pahat, Johor, said the ordeal began after their initial six-day stay in Madinah.
"Things were still manageable in Madinah. But once we were moved to Makkah, everything changed. We had to walk through deserts and climb hills. It was dangerous," he said.
ALSO READ: Police investigate mastermind behind alleged haj package scam
The pilgrims claim they were smuggled into the holy city via unofficial and hazardous routes to avoid detection by Saudi authorities, as none of them possessed valid haj visas, a violation of Saudi law that could carry serious legal and safety implications.
According to earlier reports, the group had departed for Saudi Arabia on May 9. They later claimed they were held in cramped, dark rooms and asked to pay an additional RM9,000 to retrieve their belongings, despite already having paid RM30,000 each for the haj package.
One of the returnees, a 64-year-old lecturer and wife of the Johor trader, described how food was scarce and the group was left to ration minimal meals.
"We shared one fried egg and two small fish between five people. Two pieces of chicken were divided among seven. When we asked why, the organiser told us to accept our fate and place our trust in God," she said.
Forty-eight of the 49 pilgrims returned to Malaysia via Turkish Airlines flight TK60. One individual is believed to have continued their travels to Switzerland.
Police said three reports have been lodged by the victims' families and investigations are underway to identify those behind the suspected scam targeting pilgrims. – Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Car wash worker seriously injured after vehicle plunges from third floor
KUALA LUMPUR: A car wash worker was seriously injured after the vehicle he was driving crashed through a wall and plunged from the third floor of a service apartment car park on Jalan Klang Lama this evening. Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) chief ACP Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa said the incident, which occurred at 5.38pm, involved a Toyota Camry driven by a 23-year-old foreigner. Initial investigations revealed the worker lost control of the vehicle while attempting to park it after washing. He is believed to have accidentally pressed the accelerator, causing the car to smash through the wall and fall to the ground," he said when contacted by Bernama. The car landed on two other vehicles — a Proton Iriz and a Perodua Myvi — parked at the ground level of the building. Fortunately, no one was inside those vehicles at the time. The victim sustained serious injuries and was taken to the red zone of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) for emergency treatment. The case is being investigated under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.– BERNAMA
Barnama
5 hours ago
- Barnama
Car Wash Worker Seriously Injured After Vehicle Plunges From Third-Floor Parking Deck
Photo: JSPT KL KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 (Bernama) -- A car wash worker was seriously injured after the vehicle he was driving crashed through a wall and plunged from the third floor of a service apartment parking area at Jalan Klang Lama this evening. Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) chief ACP Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa said the incident, which occurred at 5.38pm, involved a Toyota Camry driven by a 23-year-old Afghan man. Initial investigations revealed the worker lost control of the vehicle while attempting to park it after washing. He is believed to have accidentally pressed the accelerator, causing the car to smash through the wall and fall to the ground,' he said when contacted by Bernama. The car landed on two other vehicles — a Proton Iriz and a Perodua Myvi, parked at the ground level of the building. Fortunately, no one was inside those vehicles at the time. The victim sustained serious injuries and was taken to the red zone of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) for emergency treatment. The case is being investigated under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies. Follow us on social media : Facebook : @bernamaofficial , @bernamatv , @bernamaradio Twitter : @ , @BernamaTV , @bernamaradio Instagram : @bernamaofficial , @bernamatvofficial , @bernamaradioofficial TikTok : @bernamaofficial
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: Of private data and public use
WHENEVER the government says it is collecting personal data, Malaysians get the jitters. Can't blame them. One thought that crosses the mind of some people is: is Big Brother keeping watch on us? The other and more common concern is about leakages, of which there have been far too many without any serious consequences to those who were responsible. Understandably, the recent announcement by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil that Putrajaya is collecting phone call data from telecommunication companies for policymaking brought back the old anxiety, especially when they learnt that discussions between the government and the telcos have been going on since 2023. Phone call data is itself a fear-generating phrase. Does it mean data on all calls one makes are collected? Early communication would have helped allay the people's fears, but transparency isn't Malaysia's strong point. Putrajaya has to work hard on it. The government must understand people's fears. Every day, people are bombarded with numerous anonymous calls and text messages. Neither the telcos nor our regulators seem to be able to put a stop to such an invasion into our private world. Some even know the names of the phone owners. How did they get access to the names and phone numbers? Can't blame the people for suspecting it to be an inside job. People do recognise the government's need to work with personal data to deliver their services efficiently and effectively in this highly digitalised world. But their concern is how the personal information is collected, stored and shared. Not just telcos collect personal data, but all manner of companies do that. The important thing is robust oversight by regulators. Making the non-compliant accountable is critical. Since 2017, only about 20 companies have been compounded or fined for personal data breaches under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA), some even for processing personal information without consent or permits. Thankfully, the amended PDPA that came into effect in January comes with a bigger bite. Data controllers and data processors face a fine of up to RM1 million or imprisonment of up to three years or both for non-compliance. As under the unamended act, gathering evidence remains a huge challenge as the lawbreakers delete the data once non-compliance is detected. Some have described the hunt for evidence as a cat-and-mouse game, only more vicious. So where does this leave the people whose personal data has been made public by unlawful means? The tort of invasion of privacy, which is a well-developed civil remedy in several common law countries, isn't recognised in Malaysian jurisprudence. A court or two appeared to have thought it was a recognised tort, but higher courts have overruled such judicial activism. Perhaps the answer lies in the statutory introduction of the tort. Some will argue that there is no need for one because the PDPA is there, but they forget that it doesn't address civil remedies. Until such time when invasion of privacy does become a recognised tort in Malaysia, either through the courts or statutory introduction, people must seek recourse through other torts such as breach of confidence or negligence.
