TH HOPES TO FULFIL PROXY HAJ REQUESTS
We have approved 3,700 proxies, says official
TABUNG Haji (TH) hopes to fulfil 5,000 requests for badal haji (proxy haj) from Malaysia this year, TH operations director (guidance) Tengku Aziz Raja Abdullah said.
TH has approved 3,700 proxies after interviewing and vetting applications received from July 27 to 29.
“We will open counters to accept more (proxy) applications on Sunday and Monday (Aug 6 and 7). Selection will be based on our interviews, and once we are satisfied that they are qualified to perform the haj,” he said here.
Badal haji is haj performed on behalf of a person physically unfit or deceased.
The person who is going to perform the haj on someone else’s behalf is known as mahmoor and on whose behalf he is doing haj is known as aamir.
Tengku Aziz said TH had computerised the badal haji system and kept a database of qualified mahmoor interviewed in previous years.
“Some of them are on holiday and have not yet returned. Others stay a bit far from here and will come soon. Insya-Allah (God willing), we will be able to meet the 5,000 requests.”
Applications for badal haji are capped at 5,000 a year, with each costing about RM3,000. The mahmoor, comprising Mecca locals who have already performed the haj, are paid 2,400 Riyals (RM2,740) to perform the badal haji — 1000 Riyals up front and the balance 1,400 Riyals after the completion of wukuf.
“At the time they receive the second payment, we will interview them again. That way, we can monitor whether they have completed the haj properly.”
Over the three days of applications, long lines of applicants were seen lining up at the lobby of TH’s Mecca headquarters at Abraj Al-Janadriyah. Badal haji can be performed by a man or woman for any other man or woman.
Asked to comment on commonly seen notices back home in Malaysia — usually near surau and mosques — advertising proxy haj for as low as RM1,500 per person, Tengku Aziz said he was not sure how it was possible to perform haj at that price.
“Even the 2,400 Riyals that we offer is considered low. My advice is to make sure they find someone who can perform the haj and meets the conditions. This is about fulfilling the request of the deceased. They should be certain the haj is carried out properly,” he added.