Depositors' confidence in Tabung Haji improving - Jamil Khir

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said with the positive development, he hoped the baseless allegations against TH would stop while the agency was garnering public trust, particularly from Muslim depositors.

"I understand that we need to be sensitive (to public criticism), but the government is also sensitive towards safeguarding Tabung Haji, a conglomerate that is owned 100 per cent by Muslims, so don't attack without proof and so on.

"While we are on the road to restoration, we don't want 'poisons' thrown at us to scupper it," he told reporters after opening the 'Islamic Development in Malaysia' seminar, organised by Rantau Panjang UMNO division with the cooperation of Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (YADIM), here, today.

Also present were division chief, Datuk Abdullah Mat Yassin and YADIM president, Dr Yusri Mohamad.

There had been allegations against Tabung Haji; that it would incur losses and could go bankrupt, causing many depositors to lose confidence in the agency.

Jamil Khir said TH received government guarantee, thus any business dealings it entered into required the government's approval to avoid committing to any high-risk ventures.

He said TH also had to go through a stringent audit process annually by the National Audit Department before it could announce any dividend and bonus payments to its depositors.

"We cannot spend indiscriminately as government guarantee would not be given with improper spending. That is why the National Audit Departnment comes to audit Tabung Haji's finances.