Asyraf Wajdi hits back at attempts to link him to Tabung Haji controversies

Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has vehemently denied allegations linking him to controversies surrounding the Tabung Haji (TH) fund. In a post on social media, he clarified that his role as deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) did not grant him any authority over the institution's operations, policy decisions, or agreements.

Asyraf explained that his constitutional position as a deputy minister strictly prohibited him from exercising the powers typically vested in a minister. He emphasized that the roles and responsibilities of ministers, deputy ministers, parliamentary secretaries, and political secretaries are distinctly delineated under the Federal Constitution.

Asyraf also addressed concerns raised in a video showing him attending a ceremony to extend 10-year hotel lease agreements between TH and Al-Rawda in Madinah and Makkah. He stressed that his presence at the event was due to his role as head of the Malaysian Hajj delegation in 2017, a position that required his presence in Makkah for a ministerial ceremony.

He further explained that a deputy minister lacks the authority to intervene in TH's affairs or approve its activities and agreements. Asyraf referred to the Tabung Haji Act, which stipulates that the institution's administration and operations are overseen by its chief executive officer and management.

Asyraf reiterated that he had never faced questioning related to the TH controversies, either by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) or other enforcement bodies such as the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and Inland Revenue Board (LHDN). He also noted that the RCI report did not mention or implicate him as deputy minister in connection with the allegations.

His statements come as TH continues to face scrutiny over its governance and management following the release of the RCI report, which delved into issues surrounding the institution's administration and past decisions.