PARLIAMENT | Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has urged Lembaga Tabung Haji to consider providing hajj pilgrims with options to shorten the duration of their journey and reduce overall subsidised costs.
The Bera MP said while Tabung Haji currently offers a fixed 40-day package for all pilgrims, there could be other alternative options for 14 days, 21 days or 30 days.
"Pilgrims can select their option, and furthermore the hajj requirements can be completed in just four days, so even with 14 days there will still be time for visits to Madinah and others.
"If Tabung Haji offers a 14-day package the cost may be only one- third of the current costs, and so more from the B40 group will be able to go," Ismail Sabri (above) said.
Ismail Sabri cited figures by Tabung Haji that a hajj pilgrim from the B40 group will have to pay RM10,980 while those not from the B40 group will be charged RM12,980 - an increase of RM1,000 and RM3,000 respectively from the previous subsidised rate.
The figures were subsidised from a total cost of RM28,632 for one pilgrim.
Ismail Sabri noted how various external factors that impacted the global economy - Russia-Ukraine war, post-Covid logistics arrangements, oil prices - had contributed to the increase in costs for Malaysian pilgrims to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.
"Tabung Haji had to incur more subsidy with the new accommodations in Mecca and Madinah, and the overall costs is expected to continue increasing.
"What worries us is that maybe one day the B40 and M40 may not be able to afford to perform the hajj," said the Umno vice-president in his debate of the royal address.
Tabung Haji previously said that it will continue to subsidise the total costs through its Hajj assistance plan with a reported allocation of RM150 million last year. - Mkini
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