Umno Youth: Stop issuing 'alarmist' statements and sue former Tabung Haji chiefs

Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki. -Bernamapic

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth says Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa should refrain from issuing public statements on alleged wrongdoings in Tabung Haji (TH) as they could cause a panic and paralyse the institution.

Umno Youth chief Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki (pic) said that if it was true that the previous TH management had paid RM12.65bil in dividends illegally resulting in RM4.1bil shortfall as of the end of last year, the present management should sue them instead of the minister issuing statements.

"I am concerned about the market's reaction and depositors withdrawing funds because they are not confident that TH could pay dividends like it used to.

"If this happens, TH will face a big crisis which can paralyse a big institution that had contributed much to its followers," he said in a statement on Monday (Dec 10).

He added that TH had never reported losses and depositors' funds were in fact guaranteed by the government as provided for in the Tabung Haji Act 1995.

"I am interested to know the type of mismanagement in Tabung Haji which the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Mujahid would expose after sensationalising the news in the media," he said.

Earlier on Monday, Dr Mujahid had alleged that TH had paid dividends to depositors illegally for four years from 2014 to 2017.

"In my years of holding the Deputy Minister in the PM's Department's portfolio, I had never heard of any report from the National Audit or External Audit on the dividend issued in the last four years.

"Moreover, the Minister's power to announce the dividend distribution could only be done after being certified by the National Audit Department," said Dr Asyraf.

If there was a difference in views between the new and the old management on the basis of accounting in evaluating the TH assets, the issue should not be sensationalised to create inaccurate perceptions about TH's financial standing, he said.

"Let this issue not be an excuse to cover Pakatan Harapan government's weaknesses where it had failed to stabilise the stock market and state capital, resulting in TH not being able to give similar or better dividends than previous years," he added.