KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians planning to perform the haj must possess a valid permit or visa.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said attempting to perform the haj without a valid visa is not only a breach of Saudi Arabian law but also poses significant risks to the pilgrims themselves.

"This includes facing hefty fines, deportation, and being blacklisted from entering Saudi Arabia for an extended period," he said.

"Such actions also risk jeopardising the longstanding cordial relations between the Malaysian and Saudi governments, and could lead to the revocation of privileges previously granted to Malaysian pilgrims," he said.

He was commenting on the case of 80 Malaysian pilgrims who were detained at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) recently for attempting to travel using tourist visas.

Na'im said Lembaga Tabung Haji consistently reminds prospective pilgrims not to be lured by packages offering unrealistic prices or marketed by unauthorised haj operators.