SEREMBAN: Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has urged the government to immediately release the Royal Commission of Inquiry report on the alleged mismanagement of Lembaga Tabung Haji.
Making the completed investigation public is crucial to restoring trust among the public and depositors, he said.
"I understand that the probe has been completed," Ismail Sabri said while campaigning for Barisan Nasional candidate for Lenggeng, Datuk Mohd Asna Amin.
"If it is, then the findings should be disclosed and any guilty party must be held accountable."
Ismail Sabri said the inquiry was established during his tenure as prime minister following allegations against the pilgrims' fund board, including asset sales and the creation of a special purpose vehicle to manage its assets.
"Umno asked me to establish the inquiry, and its supreme council said the matter should be deliberated by the cabinet," he said.
Ismail Sabri said the inquiry aimed to uncover the truth regarding issues that affected public confidence, rather than targeting any party.
A probe was necessary as allegations and attacks against the fund had influenced depositors to withdraw their savings, he added.
"It is up to the current government, but Umno's stance is very clear: we requested this inquiry," he said. "Our purpose is not to victimise anyone, but to seek the truth because the attacks against Tabung Haji at that time were quite severe."
On Monday (July 27), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the cabinet would decide whether to make the report public once it is formally tabled and reviewed.
The government must follow due process before deciding on releasing the findings, with any action taken in accordance with the law, Anwar said.
Anwar previously stated that he supported making the findings public, but proper procedure had to be observed, adding that the report was not released earlier to avoid undermining public confidence in the fund.
