Dewan Rakyat heats up over Tabung Haji issue

The issue of Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) has become the focus of several government and opposition lawmakers as they were engaged in heated arguments pertaining to the matter during the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

Among MPs involved were Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa (PH-Parit Buntar), Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PH-Kulim-Bandar Baharu) and Tan Sri Noh Omar (BN-Tanjung Karang) who touched the TH issue when debating the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's royal address.

Mujahid, who is former minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said the Rehabilitation and Restructuring Plan of TH was made based on the audit report and the findings of independent investigations into TH's financial position.

He also presented the National Audit Department's report as well as the findings of independent investigations conducted by several accounting firms on the financial statement of TH for the financial year ended 2017.

The issue also attracted the attention of former TH chairman, Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling), who stood up several times seeking clarification from Mujahid.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin Nasution agreed with the matter presented by Mujahid as it was based on the report that showed depreciation in equity value of TH assets.

He added that one of the reasons was due to the fact that TH did not specialise in investments, resulting in losses.

"There is no niche investment, either in plantation, or services. TH invests in everything," he said.

Meanwhile, Noh agreed with the proposal put forward by Abdul Azeez yesterday for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to be set up to investigate allegations of misconduct by TH's previous management.

Noh said the TH issue was going on for a long time and needed to be resolved soon through the establishment of RCI.

"This matter has been going on for a long time, (both parties) should not play politics. We put aside political ideology because the people are the victims here (in the issue)," he said.

On Monday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, through his written reply, said that TH's total assets have exceeded its liabilities of RM1.9 billion, and it is not controlled by non-Muslims,

Muhyiddin said that as of June 30, 2020, TH's assets as tabled in its performance report for the first half of 2020, amounted to RM78 billion.

The Dewan Rakyat sitting resumes tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA