ALOR STAR: Kedah Umno Youth wing today lauded the government’s decision to cancel the implementation of the Integrated Manasik Monitoring System (Imams) following objections from many quarters and stakeholders.
Its chief Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin said the decision to defer the implementation of the system, which also drew objection from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, was the right thing to do.
Shaiful said Kedah Youth wing fully support Najib's stand as Imams would only burden the people and the system implementation seems to be done in great haste and in an irrational manner.
"This showed that the prime minister has always prioritised and is responsive to the welfare of the people, who are already being burdened by the increasing cost of living and other unprecedented factors," he said in a statement today.
He added that Kedah Umno Youth wing wished for the relevant authorities to take into account the interest and sensitivity of the people first before implementing such systems.
"For Kedah Umno Youth wing, this is not the right time to further burden the people. Any initiative should be evaluated from a wider perspective.
"To use as an excuse that this initiative will purportedly improve government coffers does not justify the additional burden imposed on the umrah pilgrims.
"The (hostile) reaction by the people towards the implementation is a reflection that the plan was carried out in a careless manner," he said.
Shaiful said the wing believe that the initiative reflected the weaknesses on the ministry’s part in practising due diligence before putting the system in place.
As such, he stressed that this incident should not be repeated in the future and hoped that any initiative by government should take into account views of the people.
"We strongly object any move to pile the burden to the people through a service which is vague and meant to gain quick profit.
"Should monitoring be the main issue, the move to introduce an ‘Umrah Special License’ to tour companies offering umrah packages should been adequate.
"However, any move to improve the back-end system should be reviewed so that it would not burden the pilgrims," he said.
Shaiful was commenting on the Tourism and Culture Ministry secretary-general Datuk Rashidi Hasbullah announcement that the cancellation was done after taking into consideration complaints from the public and the relevant stakeholders in the industry.
The cancellation came a day after it was announced by Tourism and Culture Deputy Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.
She said the system was meant to better manage the umrah pilgrims, beef up its regulatory management system as well as snuff out the errant operators.
She also announced that the Umrah Regulatory Management Council has made it mandatory for all the 65 travel agencies accorded with the Muasassah (umrah special license) to adopt and comply with Imams effective December 15.