Malaysian Islamic fund rejects claims it offers free hajj travel
- Published on February 25, 2026 at 04:36
- 2 min read
- By Najmi Mamat, AFP Malaysia
As Muslims began observing the holy month of Ramadan, posts surfaced online falsely claiming Malaysians who want to complete the hajj could do so for free under a programme offered by the country's Islamic pilgrimage fund board. Though the Tabung Haji subsidises the sacred pilgrimage for eligible Malaysians, it said it does not cover all expenses and warned of fake accounts impersonating the body to solicit personal data through bogus sites.
"If you want free hajj, register now," reads Malay-language sticker text over a TikTok video of a convoy of buses escorted by a police vehicle shared on February 18, 2026.
"The Malaysian government is providing an opportunity for eligible citizens to perform Hajj free of charge. No need to worry about high costs, you can fully focus on your worship," the text goes on to claim.
More than half of Malaysia's 34 million population are Muslims, for whom the annual hajj to Mecca should be undertaken at least once in their lifetimes as long as they have the means (archived link).
Each year, the Saudi Arabian government allocates permits on a quota basis for pilgrims from each country, including Malaysia.
The government-run Tabung Haji manages the pilgrim selection process and funds for the trip (archived link).
The pilgrimage, one of the pillars of Islam, is expected to take place at the end of May in 2026 and Malaysian pilgrims begin their journey in April.
Similar claims superimposed over footage of buses and Muslim pilgrims boarding a Tabung Haji vehicle were shared across TikTok.
The posts urge users to "register now" through a link in the account bios that leads to a website asking users to enter their full name and phone number.
However, the Tabung Haji does not offer free travel to Malaysian pilgrims, though it does provide subsidies to specific groups such as low-income citizens (archived link).
Pilgrims from Malaysia pay between 15,000 ringgit to 33,000 ringgit (3,900 to 8,500 USD) to perform the hajj, depending on their income levels.
Keyword searches on Google led to a Facebook post by Tabung Haji on February 17 that warned the offers were fake (archived link).
"Tabung Haji has noticed the existence of social media accounts offering free hajj," reads the Malay-language post.
It stressed it has never offered any free hajj packages, whether directly or through subsidiaries, on any social media platform.
Any such offers are false and intended to mislead the public, it added.
AFP has previously debunked fraudulent posts claiming the government is handing out aid or free schemes, which frequently circulate in Malaysia.
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