The Terengganu government must take responsibility and compensate the 4,800 victims of an umrah scam involving Yayasan Bakti Negeri Terengganu (YBNT).

Bandar assemblyperson Azan Ismail said the state should take the blame as it allowed the foundation to hold pre-umrah courses even though YBNT had no qualification.

Azan, who is PKR's sole Terengganu assemblyperson, said the state sidestepped Terengganu's Islamic affairs agencies to do this.

"The state must be responsible for the losses of 4,800 victims, including teachers and their families, because their negligence led to this scam," he said.

Sinar Harian earlier reported Besut police received 40 complaints on the YNBT umrah scam, which was estimated to involve RM14.2 million.

An accountant and two YNBT officers had been remanded.

They had offered umrah packages costing only RM3,000 purportedly because it was partially sponsored. The package usually costs RM6,990.