Rashid Rejects Claim That Madinah Was Denied Chance to Testify Before RCI

Tan Sri Rashid Hussain has rejected former auditor-general Tan Sri Dr. Madinah Mohamad’s claim that she was not given a chance to appear before the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Lembaga Tabung Haji.

Rashid, who also chairs Lembaga Tabung Haji, said the commission’s proceedings records show that Madinah received a subpoena and was asked to appear on June 3, 2022. He said this contradicted the claim that she had not been called to give direct evidence.

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For the record, Madinah was subpoenaed and asked to appear before us on June 3, 2022.

Madinah had requested to attend alongside Dr. Mona Othman, who was then deputy director of financial auditing. Rashid said the request could not be granted because the commission examined witnesses individually. He added that the commission had obtained Mona’s explanation and testimony from the officer responsible for the Tabung Haji audit on June 2, one day before Madinah’s scheduled appearance.

Rashid said Madinah was also given an opportunity to submit her views and explanations in writing. The commission sent her 75 questions, and she submitted her answers under a statutory declaration on April 1, 2022. The document was recorded as a witness statement in the commission’s files.

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She asked to attend with Mona. Under the RCI proceedings, we examined witnesses one by one.

Madinah, who served as auditor-general from 2017 to 2019, had expressed disappointment that she was not called to testify in person. She said she had been ready to do so and disclosed that she was at the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, or Jakim, while the inquiry proceedings were taking place.

Rashid urged that the issue be considered in light of the commission’s mandate and limited operating period, rather than through questions about its investigative methodology. “The RCI was established for a limited period, and after the report was prepared, that was its objective. This is not about the credibility of the methodology used by the RCI,” he said.

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The RCI was established for a limited period, and after the report was prepared, that was its objective. This is not about the credibility of the methodology used by the RCI.