TH Act amendments being refined, consultations ongoing, says minister

PUTRAJAYA: The proposed amendments to the Tabung Haji Act are being fine-tuned in discussions with different parties, according to Minister of the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan. He explained that these modifications will integrate feedback from the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Tabung Haji (TH).

Upon obtaining cabinet approval, the suggested changes will be introduced to Parliament. Currently, TH and the involved parties are working on the amendments to establish the most effective framework for TH, he stated after participating in the Malaysian Islamic Dakwah Foundation Excellent Service Awards ceremony. Zulkifli had previously informed the Dewan Rakyat that the proposed amendments would encompass the regulatory framework for TH's fund management and investments.

Separately, Zulkifli criticized the opposition MPs' decision to leave the special parliamentary session on the RCI, calling it irresponsible. He emphasized that the report should have been discussed as a group, enabling MPs to question, examine the issues, and strive for a resolution. He added that since the debate concluded, authorities should be provided with the opportunity to handle investigations, enforce the law, and take necessary actions.

The 211-page RCI report, released on July 29, scrutinized TH's management and operations from 2014 to 2020. Key findings included shortcomings in governance, such as political influence in management and profit distributions made without proper accounting for impairments and declines in investment values.