MAKKAH: Many pilgrims have started sending home purchased items using the services of two courier agencies appointed by Lembaga Tabung Haji with an average delivery of between two to three tons per day for each agency.
Tabung Haji (TH) external services manager Zahari Zainal said the trend of delivery of goods was similar to last year where pilgrims liked to send goods purchased earlier despite the differences in currency exchange.
The service is seen as a necessity as the pilgrims shop a lot and preferred to ship the items home.
"The delivery fee has not changed since last year which is SAR18 for delivery to Peninsular Malaysia and SAR23 for Sabah and Sarawak.
"Most of the items sent home include clothes, prayer mats, dates and beans. Both agencies will ensure that the items sent do not include prohibited items such as zam-zam water, weapons, pirated items, electronic items, power banks, credit cards and cash," he told the media, yesterday.
Zahari said pilgrims need not worry because the delivered goods are guaranteed to be safe and covered by insurance if there is damage to the delivered goods.
Pilgrims are advised to use the services of appointed agencies only as TH will not be responsible if there is losses or damage to the items sent by external agencies.
Meanwhile, TH will regularly monitor its vendors to ensure they adhere to the expected service standards. This includes the services at its cafetaria which offers a variety of food and drinks sold at reasonable prices.
"The price of drinks and food at the cafeteria has been set by TH Travel & Services Sdn Bhd, which is the company responsible for its operations," he added.
Zahari said the food items at the cafetaria are replenished after a certain period of time. For example, food for breakfast that is displayed since 7 am can no longer be displayed at lunch.
This is to ensure that the food is safe for consumption. The cleanliness of the cafe area is also a priority for TH, as well as the quality and variety of the foods offered.
