Tiada keperluan RCI baharu TH setakat ini, kata ahli ekonomi

Economist Ahmad Razman Abdul Latiff argues that a new Finance Ministry Committee (RCI) is not needed to investigate the management of the Haj Trust Fund (TH) after 2020, as no serious financial misconduct has been reported in the past five years. Razman, from Putra Business School, stated that the previous RCI was established due to serious financial misconduct in the TH.

However, since 2021, no further financial misconduct cases have been reported regarding the TH. He emphasized that the sole purpose of proposing a new RCI seems to be for political gain. Nonetheless, Razman acknowledged that the impact of establishing a new RCI can only be assessed after the committee's report is submitted, as the expected benefits cannot be predicted.

Meanwhile, Tampin MP Mohd Isam Mohd Isa from the Barisan Nasional (BN) suggested that a new inquiry should be conducted for the period 2021 to 2025, as the previous RCI only covered 2014 to 2020. Pakatan Harapan (PH) MP RSN Rayer also called for a fresh inquiry to investigate TH management and identify those responsible for the financial and management issues.

Universiti Kuala Lumpur economist Aimi Zulhazmi Abdul Rashid believed that the management of the TH since 2020 should be re-evaluated due to significant changes in that period. She noted that the TH has gone through three significant phases since 2020, including restructuring, transferring non-productive assets to Ummah Fund, and implementing a new business model.

Aimi, however, did not consider the previous RCI as a failure solely because it was accused of political motives to initiate another inquiry. Instead, she saw it as a continuation of the effort to ensure the proper oversight of TH's management. Political analyst Mazlan Ali suggested that the proposal for a new RCI could be a test of the Madani government's commitment to transparency and accountability, as the inquiry period also includes the management during the current term.

He emphasized that this matter is more significant if the accusations come from representatives of the BN and PH, who are part of the coalition government. He questioned whether the government had established an RCI for the TH since 2020 due to its involvement with the current government, and if not, it might indicate a problem in the commitment, making it a test for them.