SHAH ALAM: Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has extended his congratulations to Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) on its remarkable achievement in securing the prestigious Labaytum Diamond Award for the second consecutive year for the 1447H/2026 haj season.
According to a statement issued by Istana Alam Shah, His Royal Highness viewed the accolade, awarded by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Haj and Umrah for the fifth time, as clear evidence of TH's efficiency, professionalism and the strong commitment shown by its staff in managing Malaysian haj operations in Makkah and Madinah.
Sultan Sharafuddin said the achievement was a source of pride not only for TH but also for the nation, reinforcing Malaysia's standing as a leader in systematic and efficient haj management based on syariah principles.
"His Royal Highness has performed the haj pilgrimage twice and the umrah pilgrimage several times under TH's guidance.
"Based on his personal experience, His Royal Highness expressed his appreciation for the quality of TH's services, welfare support and management, describing them as excellent, well-organised and consistently prioritising the comfort and safety of pilgrims," the statement said.
In the same statement, Sultan Sharafuddin also recalled the establishment of TH, which was initiated by the late Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid, a prominent scholar and economist, who helped millions of Muslims perform the haj in a systematic manner.
"Through his forward-looking vision in 1959, a syariah-compliant savings and investment model was introduced to help Malay Muslims save systematically for the haj without having to sell assets or incur debt," the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Sultan of Selangor expressed his appreciation to Malaysian pilgrims who had displayed exemplary discipline, good conduct and strong moral values throughout their stay in the Holy Land.
Sultan Sharafuddin said their orderly conduct, cooperation and adherence to regulations had often set an example and earned praise from Saudi Arabian authorities as well as pilgrims from various countries.
"His Royal Highness believes that the excellence achieved during this year's haj season is the result of close cooperation between the TH management, particularly its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain, haj officials and the pilgrims themselves, who have always upheld the spirit of togetherness and safeguarded the country's good name.
"His Royal Highness has also expressed confidence that TH will continue to maintain its excellence and consistently strive to improve its operations and service quality," the statement said.
Sultan Sharafuddin expressed hope that the institution would continue to be a source of pride for the country and remain committed to delivering the best services to the dhuyufurrahman for the benefit of the ummah and the well-being of all Muslims.
The media previously reported that Malaysia continued to enhance its standing as a global benchmark for haj management after TH successfully retained the Labaytum Award for the fifth consecutive time.
TH also retained the Diamond Award for the second time in the 1447H/2026 haj season, the highest recognition conferred by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Haj and Umrah to the world's leading haj management institutions. - Bernama
