Hadi claims Tabung Haji being targeted over Islamic brand

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has criticized the focus on alleged misconduct within Tabung Haji (TH), a Malaysian fund for pilgrimage and charity purposes, stating that it is being exaggerated due to the institution's Islamic brand. Hadi acknowledged potential misappropriation and wrongdoing in TH but argued that larger issues in other institutions are being overlooked and ignored.

He claimed that the TH issues are being amplified because of its religious branding, which leads to targeting, while the contributions of the many who helped build the institution are being forgotten. The government recently declassified the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on TH's management, operations, and assets from 2020-2024, uncovering financial irregularities such as concealed losses, unrecorded troubled investments, and creative accounting practices.

The report also highlighted political interference in board appointments, unsustainable hibah (charity) payouts, and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's softening of findings due to concerns about depositor confidence. The declassification of the report prompted investigations by the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

A special session of the Dewan Rakyat, Malaysia's lower house of parliament, was held to debate the RCI report, but most Perikatan Nasional MPs boycotted the proceedings in protest of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's absence, who was recovering from surgery.