Kota Kinabalu: The Consumer Claims Tribunal ordered A travel company to pay RM30,000 in compensation to a man after finding the company had misled him over a 2025 Hajj package.
Tribunal President Salmi Zalinah Abdul Rahim said the Respondent’s conduct amounted to misleading and false representation, which ultimately caused the claimant to fail in performing his Hajj, on Wednesday.
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She made the decision after evaluating witness statements, photos, WhatsApp conversations and supporting documents submitted by both parties.
According to the facts of the case, the claimant, Azrie Salfie attended a briefing conducted by Shahid Travel &Tours Sdn Bhd, Respondent’s director on Jan 10, 2025, where he decided to purchase a standard Hajj package priced at RM59,900 per person.
He was informed that Visa Mujammalah would cost an additional RM20,000 to RM25,000 if pilgrims chose to apply for it.
However, the Respondent assured him that he did not need Visa Mujammalah, claiming it would secure official Hajj visas through the Saudi Arabian embassy, as it allegedly had done in previous years. The claimant was later instructed to pay an additional RM4,000 before travelling to Kuala Lumpur.
Upon arrival, the claimant and other pilgrims were told that all visa arrangements would only be given upon reaching Jeddah.
Once there, they discovered they had not received any Hajj visas or identification passes, rendering them unable to complete the pilgrimage.
The tribunal found that the Respondent failed to prove it had informed pilgrims that they would be travelling on tourist visas rather than official Hajj visas.
It also noted that the Respondent’s brochure clearly advertised a Hajj package, and that its claim of sudden entry restrictions by Saudi authorities in 2025 was false.
This was contradicted by a Malaysian Embassy advisory issued on May 20, 2024, reminding Malaysians to ensure they had valid Hajj visas before travelling.
Salmi ruled that the Respondent’s actions breached Sections 9(b) and 10(1)(c) and (e) of the Consumer Protection Act 1999, which prohibit misleading conduct and false representation regarding services.
The Respondent was ordered to pay RM30,000 to the claimant within 14 days.
