Government to reveal Tabung Haji RCI report by Wednesday, citing serious abuse of power

Malaysia's government is set to publicly disclose the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH), the nation's pilgrimage fund, by Wednesday. The report, which has been reviewed by the Cabinet, details significant regulatory breaches and serious abuse of power within the agency.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed the impending release, emphasizing the government's readiness to make the report public to address allegations concerning the sale of TH's strategic assets in 2018. These assets were transferred to Urusharta Jamaah Sdn. Bhd. (UJSB), a government-owned Special Purpose Vehicle, as part of a recovery and restructuring effort.

Anwar stated that the RCI report indicates "serious abuse of power" and violations of various regulations. He explained that the government had exercised caution in releasing the report earlier, considering TH's ongoing recovery process and the need to avoid causing anxiety among depositors. However, with TH now on a more stable footing, he believes the public has a right to know the contents of the report.

The Prime Minister also addressed past claims, with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr. Zulkifli Hasan denying that former Treasury Secretary-General Tan Sri Ahmad Badri Mohd. Zahir was solely responsible for selling TH's assets. He clarified that the asset transfer was a collective decision by the Cabinet in 2018, aimed at restructuring and rehabilitating the fund. Anwar assured that there is no reason to withhold the report from the Malaysian people, highlighting that while he doesn't wish to label the actions as corruption, significant misuse of power occurred.