Tabung Haji playing politics?
>> Tuesday, February 09, 2010
If you are someone who can survive on cakes, biscuits and juices, you should go for your Haj through Tabung Haji. The Saudi Government and Non Governmental Organizations keep pumping you with all kinds of goodies. But what about the food catered for the pilgrims?
On the first day of my arrival in Madinah, I did not take the packed food which was delivered by the caterers to my room although my roommates did. My belly was full with the goodies provided by Saudi Government and NGOs. All kind of food and drinks were dumped on us as we left the airport to our Hotel. A big thank you to all involved. May ALLAH bless all of you.
I was tired and as I tried to take a nap, I heard whispers from my roommates about the quality of the food. Some even went to the extent of saying that the food was worse then swine food and some were kind enough to say that they fed their pet cats with better food. I thought to myself – this cannot be true.
However, the same afternoon I was forced to share the sentiments of my roommates. The lunch which was provided in the cafeteria was not edible. The food was the second nightmare I had to encounter after the security guards had refused me entry into the cafeteria just because I looked different. (This issue will be addressed in my next posting).
My roommates were right. The food was horrendous. I just could not swallow any of the food and for the next 43 days I ate out. I checked on the food packs and noted that the food was catered by D’Saji, a FELDA subsidiary. D’Saji is a classy restaurant facing Masjidil Haram and serve Malaysian goodies. How on earth can D’Saji, being a Malaysian restaurant, not know the taste buds of Malaysians? How on earth can D’Saji, being a classy restaurant, serve food which is not edible?
The answer to this question came to me on my final day in Makkah. I received an invitation from a high ranking Tabung Haji official to dine out. He drove my wife, my sister-in-law and me to a sea food restaurant outside Makkah and while dining I popped the question on the quality of food to him.
This was his answer. Prior to 2009 a subsidiary of Tabung Haji Travel and Tours did the catering and beginning 2009 the catering was handed over to D’Saji. The reason – D’Saji was in the verge of bankruptcy and Tabung Haji had no choice but to bail D’Saji out by buying over majority shares in D’Saji. Tabung Haji, I was told, cannot afford to see D’Saji fail as its failure will destroy the credibility of our Prime Minister since FELDA comes under the Prime Minister and Tabung Haji comes under the Prime Minister’s department.
In other words, to rescue the Prime Minister, (I will here borrow the words of my roommates) we were fed swine food and food which even my roommate’s pet cat would not eat. Prior to 2009, no one complained about the quality of food, I was told.
The next issue – are the cooks or chefs in D’Saji that bad. I don’t think so. The reasons I say this is because, over and above the terrible food served, D’Saji also sold packed curries – fish, chicken and sambal for 7 Saudi Riyals per pack. Don’t be surprised – these packed food taste fantastic.
Why then were the pilgrims served food not fit for human consumption and at the same time good food was being sold to the pilgrims? To add insult to injury, the food served to the pilgrims and that sold to the pilgrims were from the same caterers? The answer is simple - while the caterers are paid for each pack served to the pilgrims they also make extra money by selling food to the pilgrims knowing very well that the food served is not edible.
Marketing strategy, politics or an abuse? Your guess is as good as mine.
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On the first day of my arrival in Madinah, I did not take the packed food which was delivered by the caterers to my room although my roommates did. My belly was full with the goodies provided by Saudi Government and NGOs. All kind of food and drinks were dumped on us as we left the airport to our Hotel. A big thank you to all involved. May ALLAH bless all of you.
I was tired and as I tried to take a nap, I heard whispers from my roommates about the quality of the food. Some even went to the extent of saying that the food was worse then swine food and some were kind enough to say that they fed their pet cats with better food. I thought to myself – this cannot be true.
However, the same afternoon I was forced to share the sentiments of my roommates. The lunch which was provided in the cafeteria was not edible. The food was the second nightmare I had to encounter after the security guards had refused me entry into the cafeteria just because I looked different. (This issue will be addressed in my next posting).
My roommates were right. The food was horrendous. I just could not swallow any of the food and for the next 43 days I ate out. I checked on the food packs and noted that the food was catered by D’Saji, a FELDA subsidiary. D’Saji is a classy restaurant facing Masjidil Haram and serve Malaysian goodies. How on earth can D’Saji, being a Malaysian restaurant, not know the taste buds of Malaysians? How on earth can D’Saji, being a classy restaurant, serve food which is not edible?
The answer to this question came to me on my final day in Makkah. I received an invitation from a high ranking Tabung Haji official to dine out. He drove my wife, my sister-in-law and me to a sea food restaurant outside Makkah and while dining I popped the question on the quality of food to him.
This was his answer. Prior to 2009 a subsidiary of Tabung Haji Travel and Tours did the catering and beginning 2009 the catering was handed over to D’Saji. The reason – D’Saji was in the verge of bankruptcy and Tabung Haji had no choice but to bail D’Saji out by buying over majority shares in D’Saji. Tabung Haji, I was told, cannot afford to see D’Saji fail as its failure will destroy the credibility of our Prime Minister since FELDA comes under the Prime Minister and Tabung Haji comes under the Prime Minister’s department.
In other words, to rescue the Prime Minister, (I will here borrow the words of my roommates) we were fed swine food and food which even my roommate’s pet cat would not eat. Prior to 2009, no one complained about the quality of food, I was told.
The next issue – are the cooks or chefs in D’Saji that bad. I don’t think so. The reasons I say this is because, over and above the terrible food served, D’Saji also sold packed curries – fish, chicken and sambal for 7 Saudi Riyals per pack. Don’t be surprised – these packed food taste fantastic.
Why then were the pilgrims served food not fit for human consumption and at the same time good food was being sold to the pilgrims? To add insult to injury, the food served to the pilgrims and that sold to the pilgrims were from the same caterers? The answer is simple - while the caterers are paid for each pack served to the pilgrims they also make extra money by selling food to the pilgrims knowing very well that the food served is not edible.
Marketing strategy, politics or an abuse? Your guess is as good as mine.
