Tourism and culture ministry secretary-general Rashidi Hasbullah told Astro Awani that the decision to cancel the Integrated Manasik Monitoring System (Imams) was made following brickbats from the public and feedback from industry players.

Imams would have been the sole authority for visa applications to perform the umrah.

The scheme charged applicants a total fee of RM90.10 which included fees for processing, a takaful insurance scheme, and the 6% GST rate.

According to reports, Tourism and Culture Deputy Minister Mas Ermieyati Samsudin had introduced the system yesterday to also better manage the umrah pilgrims, strengthen its regulatory management system as well as snuff out the errant operators.

The Umrah Regulatory Management Council, in an announcement, made it mandatory for all the 65 travel agencies accorded with the Muasassah (umrah special licence) to adopt and comply with the system.

Some critics had said Imams was nothing more than a “middle-man” to collect the fees, duplicating the function of the immigration department.

Meanwhile, in a statement today, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution questioned if a matter involving Muslims going on pilgrimage was being managed by non-Muslims.

“A check with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) showed that Integrated Manasik System Sdn Bhd had one Malay director and three Chinese individuals, listed as Company Secretary,” said Saifuddin, who is also strategic adviser to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.