Anwar: Action against Tabung Haji, Felda based on wrongdoing, not religion or race

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has dismissed allegations that the government's investigation into Tabung Haji (TH) and Felda is motivated by the institutions' Islamic identity or Malay community association. Addressing Felda's top management, Anwar emphasized that any action taken is a response to mismanagement and wrongdoing, not religious or racial targeting.

He clarified that the same principle applies to other Malay-Muslim agencies that have faced government intervention due to past failures. Anwar cautioned against conflating the issue with race or religion, stating, "Don't make this a racial or religious issue." The remarks come after PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang claimed that Muslims, particularly Islamic institutions like TH, are singled out for scrutiny because of their religious branding.

Hadi argued that faith serves as a restraint on Muslims and that enforcement in Malaysia is selective, with non-Muslim "cartels, black-market traders, and smugglers" escaping consequences while others are unfairly targeted. Anwar refuted this claim by citing Felda's white paper and the establishment of a special task force to prevent a repeat of past problems, demonstrating that mismanagement would not be overlooked solely because an institution has ethnic or religious significance.

This exchange adds to the ongoing tension between the unity government and PAS over the perception and reporting of corruption cases involving Malay-Muslim institutions.