07/05/2026

THURSDAY | MAY 7, 2026

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Matta opposes new remittance policy

“Matta does not have the authority to compel compliance or non-compliance. Accordingly, Matta will not assume responsibility for any consequences or adverse actions taken by Iata against agencies that choose not to comply with the revised requirements. “Matta will escalate this matter to the Passenger Agency Programme Global Joint Council for further deliberation to secure a more balanced and equitable outcome for Malaysian accredited agents. “Matta remains committed to safeguarding the interests of the travel agency community and will continue to engage constructively with all relevant stakeholders.” The BSP facilitates financial transactions between travel agents and airlines, streamlining reporting and remittance. Among the key aspects of the BSP is that it is used by accredited travel agents to manage ticketing, reporting and payment to airlines. Agents access the system via the internet-based BSPlink to download reports, manage tickets and check schedules. Matta is the leading and largest national travel association in Malaysia, with some 3,000 members comprising local tour and travel agents and overseas affiliations.

o Association says decision made without addressing industry concerns, complete discussions or counter proposals

Anwar said haj approvals are based on a transparent system and cannot be manipulated by any party. – BERNAMAPIC No influence in approval of haj pilgrims: TH

Ű BY ANDREW SAGAYAM newsdesk@thesubdaily.com

resolutions and directives from its headquarters, a position Matta formally disputes. “Matta emphasises that travel agencies in Malaysia are not Iata members but operate as Iata accredited agents under the Passenger Agency Programme. As the national association representing these accredited agents, Matta consistently advocates transparent, consultative engagement on all regulatory and procedural matters impacting the industry. “Any change that affects the financial and operational stability of accredited agents must be developed through a fair, transparent and consultative process. The decision announced by Iata Malaysia does not reflect such a process,” Fazil said in a statement. He said as Iata accredited entities, each travel agency and tour operator must independently decide whether to comply with the new remittance frequency.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) has pushed back against a new payment rule by the International Air Transport Association (Iata) Malaysia, set to take effect on June 1. The change, known as “remittance frequency alignment”, will alter how often travel agents must pay airlines through the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP). At the 26th Agency Programme Joint Council Malaysia meeting held on Monday, Matta rejected the implementation of the new requirement as discussions on the matter remain incomplete and counter proposals along with concrete industry concerns have not been fully addressed. Matta vice-president (Air Transportation) Dr Fazil Khan said despite this, Iata Malaysia proceeded, citing internal

MECCA: The queue system and quota allocation are the main criteria used by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) to determine eligibility of pilgrims, with no influence involving financial capacity or higher package payments. Licensed haj operators (LHO) operations director Anwar Ahmad said all prospective pilgrims are subject to the same processes and criteria set by TH. He said there is a misconception among the public that paying for more expensive packages would speed up the process or improve the chances of a successful application. “That is not true, as all are processed based on priority and current quota, not the package price. “Package payments only cover additional services after an applicant has been approved to perform the

haj ,” he told reporters on Tuesday. Anwar said the approach is crucial to ensure fairness and equality are upheld in the management of pilgrims, given the high annual demand compared with the limited quota allocated. He said the situation has also been exploited by irresponsible parties spreading misleading information, including claims of guaranteed or expedited approval through certain packages. “Syndicates also use various tactics such as promoting (certain packages) on social media, offering exclusive deals and claiming to have special access to attract prospective pilgrims. “The public is reminded that haj approvals are based on a transparent system and cannot be manipulated by any party,” he said. – Bernama

* Document certification at Singapore Overseas Mission is by appointment only. No walk-ins allowed.