Wednesday, August 16, 2017

KUALA LUMPUR: About 230,000 Malaysians have performed the 'umrah' (minor pilgrimage) from November 2016 to June this year, with the value of pilgrimage and umrah sale packages exceeding RM1 billion.

Deputy Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsuddin said the large number of pilgrims was one of the factors for irresponsible parties to deceive and mislead the public through the sale of fake umrah packages.

"The ministry will not hesitate to take stern action against such offences under the Tourism Industry Act 1992 (Act 482), especially those involving fraud and sales of fake umrah packages," she said in the Dewan Negara.

Mas Ermieyati was responding to a question from Senator Datuk Seri Khairudin Samad regarding the measures taken by the ministry to address the existence of unregistered travel companies that offered fake umrah packages.

She said the ministry had also set up the Umrah Regulatory Council to address umrah issues.

Source: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2017/08/14/230000-perform-umrah-pilgrimage-package-sales-exceed-rm1b