Just over 80% of registered Tabung Haji depositors have less than RM15,000 in savings, says minister

KUALA LUMPUR: Some 80% of the 4.1 million Tabung Haji depositors registered for the haj have less than RM15,000 in savings, the amount they need by Dec 31, 2028 to keep their haj turn, the Dewan Rakyat was told.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan said the figure works out to about 3.3 million depositors.

In a written parliamentary reply, Zulkifli said the figure reflected the need for depositors to prepare earlier.

He said Tabung Haji's experience had shown that many prospective pilgrims did not prepare adequately, with requests made to defer half of the haj offers.

"When Tabung Haji began setting the RM15,000 savings condition for accepting haj offers, and issuing early reminders to prospective pilgrims as early as two years ahead, the deferment rate was reduced sharply to 18%," he said in the reply on Thursday (Oct 8).

He was replying to Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan (PN-Merbok), who asked for the rationale behind the requirement and the number of existing depositors expected to be affected.

Zulkifli said the RM15,000 minimum under the Seruan Istito'ah initiative was the same rate as that for B40 pilgrims, against the actual haj cost of RM33,300.

He said it also served as a benchmark of depositors' savings readiness for financial istito'ah, a new haj preparation plan aimed at fostering a culture of preparing earlier.

Zulkifli said Tabung Haji was keeping to its "first come, first served" principle.

"Tabung Haji is giving registered depositors more than two years, until Dec 31, 2028, to increase their savings and keep their haj turn," he added.

The reply did not say what would happen to the haj turn of depositors who have not reached RM15,000 by the deadline.