JELEBU: Those responsible for the losses and alleged fraud and abuse of power suffered by Lembaga Tabung Haji will face investigation and, if warranted, prosecution, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
This comes after the Cabinet agreed to declassify the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report into the matter on Wednesday (July 29).
The report, covering the period from 2014 to 2020, will be tabled and debated at a special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.
Anwar said the decision was made by the Cabinet earlier in the day, fulfilling the government’s commitment to decide on the report’s status after it was presented to ministers.
“The Tabung Haji report that we discussed earlier today has just been released.
“They challenged me, saying, ‘Anwar, if you are brave, publish the Tabung Haji report.’ My answer is: here it is. Read it.
“The decision by the Cabinet today is not mine alone,” he said in his speech when meeting locals in Chennah here on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister stressed that any elements of misappropriation, fraud and abuse of power identified in the report would be thoroughly investigated by the relevant authorities, including the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Bank Negara Malaysia.
“If there is evidence, they will be charged, brought before the courts and, if found guilty, sent to prison. That is the rule of law in this country,” he said.
Anwar also emphasised that investigations should be left to the relevant authorities.
“I will not pre-judge or accuse anyone. Let the police, the MACC and Bank Negara investigate.”
The Prime Minister said Tabung Haji chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashi Hussain, who had served on the RCI panel, had briefed the Cabinet on the report, which found losses amounting to RM10bil arising from regulatory breaches, poor investment decisions and other governance issues dating back to 2014.
He added that Bank Negara had written to Tabung Haji in 2014 warning of regulatory breaches, but the concerns were not addressed.
Anwar said the issue was not about assigning blame for political purposes, but about restoring integrity in public institutions and preventing a repeat of past financial scandals.
“Our job is to put things right. I do not want to see Felda lose money again, or Tabung Haji lose money again. Or people ask for projects, but the money is no longer there.
“We want to correct this,” he said.
The Prime Minister added that those upset with his administration were largely those who had previously benefited from wrongdoing, while reiterating that investigations and prosecutions were conducted independently.
“It is not me who investigates. The MACC and the police investigate. The Public Prosecutor brings the case to court. The judge decides whether someone goes to prison or is acquitted.
“I only want to ensure this country remains prosperous. There must not be corruption and fraud,” he said.
The RCI was established to investigate Tabung Haji’s management and governance between 2014 and 2020, following concerns over its financial position and compliance with statutory requirements.
On Monday (July 27), Anwar had said the Cabinet would decide whether to declassify the report once ministers had reviewed its findings.
