Tabung Haji: 2015 a challenging year to replicate last year depositors' bonus - deputy group MD

Lembaga Tabung Haji expects 2015 to be a challenging year to replicate the payment of last year's depositors' bonus of 6.25 per cent and an additional two per cent haj bonus.

Deputy group managing director/chief executive officer, Datuk Johan Abdullah, said many factors contributed to the challenging environment, among them, the flooding at the end of last year, weakening of ringgit and oil price decline.

"It's too early to tell (depositors' bonus projection) currently. If you are aware of the market outlook, business is challenging," he told reporters after the handing over of business tithe to Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Istiadat Melayu Kelantan (MAIK).

Tabung Haji's business tithe disbursement to MAIK increases to RM4.04 million this year from RM3.87 million last year due to the better overall performance of the board.

Johan said Tabung Haji would continue to focus on local core businesses -- Islamic banking, plantation and properties.

At the same time, he said, the board would remain active as a long-term investors in the local stock market by investing in selective good quality stocks.

"There are a lot of opportunities here, therefore we are going to generate more domestic investment," he said.

Last year, Tabung Haji paid RM3.2 billion in bonuses to depositors, an increase of 23 per cent compared to 2013.

Total revenue last year stood at RM3.29 billion, slightly lower from RM3.73 recorded in 2013.