Fresh RCI into Tabung Haji’s 2021-2025 performance needs Agong’s consent, says Fahmi

Any decision to initiate a new Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to examine the Tabung Haji (TH) performance from 2021 to 2025 requires the approval of the Agong first, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated. The Anwar government presented the RCI's findings in a special parliamentary session more than three years after the initial report was released.

TH suffered significant financial losses due to poor investments, leading to stricter regulations against those identified in the report. During the parliamentary debates, some Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan MPs proposed expanding the investigation period beyond the existing 2014 to 2020 timeframe. Fahmi, speaking after inaugurating the Sponsorship Handover Ceremony for the 2026 National Day and Malaysia Day Celebration, mentioned that two decisions needed to be made at the Cabinet level.

Firstly, determining whether to proceed with or expand the inquiry due to the Royal Commission's requirement for the Agong's consent. Secondly, the investigation's scope must be expanded to cover the period from 2021 to 2025. Police have recorded statements from 134 witnesses, with around 10 statements recently obtained, including individuals connected to TH's management and organizational structure.

For now, the government will entrust the full investigations to the relevant authorities based on the RCI findings and additional information provided by Finance Minister II, Amir Hamzah Azizan, and the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Religious Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan. Of the 14 troubled investments made by TH, seven resulted in total losses, amounting to approximately RM13 billion.