I was just trying to lower haj costs, Jamil Khir says after being charged

Jamil Khir Baharom, a former Deputy Prime Minister (Hal Ehwal Agama) minister, stands accused of fraud in the Malaysian High Court, facing charges for misappropriating funds from the Tabung Haji (TH) totaling RM860.3 million. Prosecutors allege that between April 3, 2015, and August 17, 2017, at the Prime Minister's Department office in Putrajaya, Khir embezzled and transferred the funds to Al-Rawda Real Estate Development And Projects Management Co Ltd. Conviction on these charges could result in a fine and imprisonment for up to five years if proven guilty.

For the first charge, Khir is accused of falsely causing TH to disburse RM42,942,074, equivalent to 44.17 million Saudi Arabian Riyals, to Al-Rawda on April 3, 2015. The second charge involves false accusations of TH disbursing RM288,172,134.64, amounting to more than 250 million Saudi Arabian Riyals, to Al-Rawda on December 14, 2016.

The third charge alleges that Khir falsely caused TH to disburse RM529,194,561.87, or more than 471 million Saudi Arabian Riyals, to Al-Rawda on August 17, 2017. Magistrate Rosli Ahmad granted a RM300,000 bail bond with a surety and ordered Khir to surrender his passport to the court until the case concludes. A trial date of November 5 has been set for the proceedings.

Khir is represented by attorney Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, while Deputy Prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusof Khan is arguing on behalf of the prosecution.