KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) has called on the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to seriously address the escalating issue of Umrah scams in the country.
Matta said this has not only tarnished the reputation of the travel industry but also caused financial losses and emotional distress to innocent pilgrims seeking to fulfil their religious obligations.
The association wants the government to take immediate and drastic action to strengthen and expand its enforcement unit dedicated to monitoring activities on social media platforms.
"The prevalence of scammers and unlicensed individuals exploiting these platforms requires a proactive and vigilant approach to identify and apprehend those responsible for fraudulent activities," it said today.
Matta president Nigel Wong said the current and glaring weakness over the past decades lie in what is viewed as inadequate level of enforcement especially on unlicensed operators, rendering new policies and regulations ineffective.
"To restore public confidence and ensure the success of regulatory measures, we urge the ministry and other related agencies to adopt a zero-tolerance approach against those engaging in fraudulent Umrah activities," he said in a statement today.
Matta acknowledges the efforts of the ministry in introducing new policies and regulations to address this issue.
However, it is evident that the current approach falls short of achieving the desired outcomes due to the lack of robust enforcement.
On another related issue, Matta express reservations about the proposed implementation of a grade system for Umrah operators.
While the idea aims to enhance industry standards and consumer trust, Matta argued that the potential drawbacks could outweigh the intended benefits.