TO further prevent an onslaught of the Omicron COVID-19 variant to the Malaysian shores, the Government should not entertain any appeal against its decision to temporarily suspend travel to perform the umrah from Jan 8.
It should therefore turn a deaf ear to the plea of the Association of Bumiputera Tourism Operating Companies Malaysia (Bumitra) which is lobbying hard for an eye-to-eye meeting with the Health Ministry and the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry with the hope of lifting the temporary umrah (mini haj) ban.
Understandably, travel agencies offering umrah packages must accept this latest development as an unforeseeable business risk given the authorities have to resort to such drastic action for the well-being of all Malaysians – not them alone nor the pilgrims concerned.
TH Travel & Services Sdn Bhd CEO Ahmad Ruzman Ahmad Razali has raised concerns that travel agencies would also have to deal with claims filed by umrah pilgrims at the Tribunal for Consumer Claims or civil court as a result of the suspension.
Likewise, potential pilgrims who had already booked and paid for their trips would incur huge losses.
“The umrah visa will only be issued after travel agencies make payments which include hotel and transportation costs through the e-wallet system provided by Saudi Arabia’s Haj and Umrah Ministry,” he told a media conference on Jan 1.
“If there is a delay on our part, the amount paid will not be refunded. Therefore, whatever costs that will be incurred by the pilgrims and the travel agencies should be taken into account.”
According to the Government’s latest directive, booking of new umrah flight tickets had been postponed starting from Jan 1 while pilgrims returning to the country from Jan 3 would be subject to mandatory quarantine at quarantine stations or hotels that have been identified as quarantine stations by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).
The tour operators and pilgrims have to bear in mind that no stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs) are ever enough to curb the movement of pilgrims upon their return from the holy land as it has been proven over and over again that many returnees possess poor discipline by having flouted their quarantine procedure.
Yesterday (Jan 4) alone, four cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 cases involving the Omicron variant were detected in Kedah, according to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
All four cases were close contacts of an individual who returned from umrah in Saudi Arabia on Dec 12, 2021, and were found positive on Dec 24. The four reported mild symptoms on Dec 17.
Khairy advised those who have to undergo compulsory quarantine to follow instructions from health authorities, stay in a separate room and not meet with others, including household members, to contain the spread of COVID-19 cases.
Also, he said 54 imported Omicron cases were detected yesterday, including 39 from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (seven) and the UK (four).
These brought the number of Omicron cases detected in the country so far to 122, of which 117 cases were imported while five were locally transmitted. “Of the total reported Omicron variant cases, 71 cases (58.2%) were umrah pilgrims,” added Khairy. – Jan 5, 2021
