KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is confident that the initiative in making Malaysia the regional hub for the umrah pilgrimage can drive and boost the country’s tourism industry.
Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said with this initiative Malaysia would not be just a transit country for pilgrims from the Southeast Asian region such as Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, South Korea, and Japan who want to perform umrah in the Holy Land.
He said Malaysia could also offer Muslim-friendly tourism packages to the pilgrims which can indirectly increase the country’s income and introduce Malaysia as a global Muslim travel destination.
“This initiative is in line with one of the thrusts of the National Tourism Policy 2020-2030 to strengthen the commitment to sustainable tourism,” he said in a statement today.
Ting said he has instructed the relevant departments to hold engagement sessions involving umrah and Haj travel associations to consider the proposal to make Malaysia the umrah hub.
Ting said the ministry would present the proposal to the Cabinet and identify the relevant acts or regulations in its implementation.
“MOTAC hopes that the industry players and the public will cooperate in carrying out the government’s efforts to streamline umrah management which will facilitate a more orderly umrah pilgrimage,” he said.
On July 14, Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan chaired the Umrah Regulatory Council (MKSU) meeting to discuss the latest issues and recommendations in umrah management involving ministries, agencies as well as umrah operator’s associations.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Foreign Affairs and Transport Ministries, the Department of Waqf, Zakat and Haj and relevant agencies as well as representatives of umrah operators such as the Association of Bumiputera Tourism Operators of Malaysia, the Association of Umrah and Haj Travel Agencies and the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents who supported the proposed implementation of several matters involving the empowerment of umrah management, including the initiative to make Malaysia the umrah hub in the Asian region.
