SEREMBAN: The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report into Tabung Haji should not be politicised, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said this was more so as the Negri Sembilan polls will be held this Saturday (Aug 1).
"In my opinion, that report is not meant to point fingers at anyone but rather are recommendations and in my view, should not be politicised.
"Furthermore, this coming Saturday is an important day for Negri Sembilan, and I hope it will not be manipulated for political gain," he told reporters after closing the state-level "Jelajah Pendidikan Tinggi & TVET Mara" programme here Wednesday (July 29).
Ahmad Zahid said he believed Tabung Haji had also undertaken measures to implement the recommendations proposed by the commission.
"I do not think the report will worry depositors as Tabung Haji is currently moving toward strengthening its investment portfolio and its cash flow position.
"Also, the report was completed three years ago and I believe measures have been taken to restore confidence in its performance," he said.
Ahmad Zahid said that at the time, the Tabung Haji management and the minister in charge had requested the report not be released, fearing it would trigger fund redemptions or withdrawals of the money deposited in Tabung Haji.
Earlier Wednesday, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil, who is also the unity government spokesperson, said the Cabinet had agreed to declassify the RCI report covering the period from 2014 to 2020, saying that it will be tabled and debated at a special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.
Fahmi said the Cabinet was briefed by Tabung Haji's top management and reviewed the findings of the RCI report.
Ahmad Zahid said the Cabinet had also proposed that the RCI review period be extended to see if the recovery efforts such as asset restructuring, asset liquidation and other measures recommended by the commission had been effectively carried out.
"There is a need to extend the timeframe to see if the commission's recommendations have been implemented accordingly.
"The review should not only be from 2014 to 2020 but also from 2020 to 2022 and 2022 onwards when there was a new management team, chairman and minister in charge," he said adding that it was also proposed that a special session of Parliament be held to table the report.
He said the Cabinet also wished to see that the recommendations were implemented as a sign of the government's commitment towards recovery of the fund.
"This is so that Tabung Haji depositors will receive appropriate returns which will help the fund reduce the cost of performing the Haj for the pilgrims," he said.
Ahmad Zahid said this was also important as the cost to perform the Haj has increased from RM9,980 per person previously.
He said that this was, among others, due to increases in the cost of flights, ground handling and accommodation.
"However, I think with the profits from dividends or bonuses that will be given in the future under the new management, it will lower the cost to perform the Haj if some of these profits are used to cover the rising costs," he said.
The RCI on Tabung Haji was announced in July 2021 and officially established on Jan 21, 2022, after securing the formal consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
It was tasked to thoroughly audit and investigate Tabung Haji's management, operations, and asset transactions taking place between 2014 and 2020.
Ultimately, the commission's aim was to restore the image, transparency, and accountability of the institution, ensuring that the savings of Malaysian Muslims were being managed safely and professionally.
The RCI was chaired by former chief justice Tun Md Raus Sharif.
The other members of the RCI were former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Samsudin Osman, co-founder of RHB Group Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain, former chairman of Bank Muamalat Malaysia Tan Sri Dr Mohd Munir Abdul Majid, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa vice-chancellor Prof Asmadi Mohamed Naim and the Malay Chambers of Commerce Malaysia deputy president Norsyahrin Hamidon.
