MALAYSIANS ADVISED TO REFER TO TH OFFICIAL MEDIA CHANNELS FOR HAJ INFO

From Nurliyana Farhah Ruslan

MAKKAH, May 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysian pilgrims for the 1446H/2025M haj season are advised not to easily believe any information related to the pilgrimage, including its rituals and procedures, that is shared on social media.

Instead, they are urged to refer to the official media channels of the Pilgrims Fund Board or Tabung Haji (TH).

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TH Media Operations Director Mohamad Naser Jaafar said this measure is crucial to ensure pilgrims receive accurate, reliable, and up-to-date information regarding haj operations and pilgrim movements throughout the season.

“With the abundance of social media platforms today, we advise pilgrims and Malaysians to rely only on verified media channels for accurate and timely updates.

"This includes information via the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), TV Alhijrah, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and TH's official social media," he said when met by the media at TH's Makkah Headquarters, here.

Mohamad Naser assured that comprehensive coverage and the latest information will always be provided by TH, including on pilgrim movements, worship, guidance, logistics, as well as health and safety aspects throughout the haj season.

Regarding the media coverage for this year's haj season, he said it would be for 52 days, covering the entire journey of the Malaysian pilgrims, from their departure to the Holy Land until their return home. This includes coverage while pilgrims are at key locations such as Arafah, Muzdalifah and Mina.

He said the peak of the coverage would be on the day of wukuf, expected to fall on June 5, which corresponds to the 9th of Zulhijjah.

After the completion of the main haj rituals and procedures, he said, the team’s focus will then shift to covering the pilgrims' return to Malaysia.

"This is expected to take place within a week after the peak haj is completed," he said.

According to Mohamad Naser, a total of 19 TH media personnel, including 14 media practitioners, had completed their first umrah upon arriving here after travelling eight hours from Madinah and making their miqat at Bir Ali.

"Some of us are performing umrah for the first time and it has been a truly meaningful and humbling experience. God willing, our media operation will continue in Makkah with a more structured strategy, focusing on comprehensive coverage and touching on various important aspects of the haj," he said.

Meanwhile, Head of Sinar Harian Social Media Unit Nur Farhana Abdul Manan said she did not expect to be selected as one of the TH media officers for this haj season.

Having been in service for 19 years, she described the opportunity as the most meaningful birthday gift in her life.

“Being in the Holy Land of Makkah made me feel like entering a different world, a place filled with peace and serenity that words can hardly describe. It was my first time seeing the Kaaba with my own eyes and I was deeply moved, because I had only seen it in pictures,” she said.

-- BERNAMA