Over 80pct of haj depositors yet to meet RM15,000 savings threshold

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 80 per cent of about 4.1 million depositors registered for haj have savings of less than RM15,000, which is the minimum amount required to maintain their current queue eligibility after the transition period ends.

Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) said the figure indicates that while a large portion of depositors already have a haj queue position, they have yet to reach a sufficient level of savings in preparation for when an offer is extended.

Furthermore, 53 per cent of the total 9.8 million TH depositors have account balances of less than RM1,300, highlighting a significant gap between holding an account or queue position and being financially prepared.

"This figure points to an important reality, which is that many already have a haj queue position, but their savings have not reached the level required to make financial preparations when the time comes to perform the haj," TH told Berita Harian.

TH said the RM15,000 threshold is not a measure of wealth, but a basic benchmark of financial readiness based on the current minimum haj payment rate for the B40 group.

For depositors who have registered for haj, a transition period of more than two years is granted until Dec 31, 2028, to gradually increase their savings and retain their queue positions based on their original registration date and time.

Beginning Jan 1, 2029, depositors who have not reached RM15,000 will face a queue eligibility restructuring, and their positions will no longer depend solely on the registration date.

Existing principles remain unchanged.

The "first-come, first-served" principle is maintained among depositors who meet the minimum RM15,000 savings requirement, based on their respective haj registration date and time.

Depositors who complete the RM15,000 savings requirement on or after 2029 will regain financial eligibility for a queue position, but will not automatically recover their original queue placement.

TH confirmed there are no specific exemptions based on age, income group, or waiting period, including for senior citizens, the B40 group, or long-time registrants.

"TH is not seeking to deny anyone the opportunity, but to help establish a fairer, more orderly queue system that reflects the true readiness of prospective pilgrims," it said.

TH estimates that the implementation of Istito'ah could potentially reduce the waiting time from 147 years to around 68 years.

However, TH noted that the timeframe is only an estimate, as the actual position depends on the number of depositors who meet the savings requirement, Malaysia's haj quota, and current developments.

On Sept 11, TH launched the Haj Preparation Plan – Seruan Istito'ah, introducing automatic haj queue eligibility once a depositor's savings reach a minimum of RM15,000.

The new method replaces the existing registration and queue management process while retaining the "first-come, first-served" principle for those meeting the minimum savings requirement.