Tabung Haji has implemented 76pc of RCI recommendations, Parliament told

The Tabung Haji (TH) has implemented 76 percent of the recommendations from the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the pilgrimage fund, according to Datuk Zulkifli Hasan, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs). The Dewan Rakyat was informed that TH has resolved 13 of the total recommendations under its direct responsibility, focusing on core operational and management areas such as governance improvements, financial reporting, investment, risk management, and decision-making processes.

Specifically, TH has fully adopted financial accounting standards aligned with the commission's recommendations and linked profit distribution rates to audited annual financial statements since 2022. The minister also highlighted the decision to end excessive bonus payments to staff, restructuring the fund's compensation framework in response to the RCI's explicit recommendation.

The RCI was established by the first Pakatan Harapan administration after years of concerns over the fund's finances, following allegations of mismanagement as many of TH's investments suffered losses. The report was recently declassified, and several top executives have since been charged. The amendments to the Tabung Haji Act 1995, incorporating the RCI's recommendations, will focus on clarifying the board's criteria and expertise, restricting active politicians, and refining appointment processes.

The proposed changes will be refined based on stakeholder input, aiming to address previous loopholes and weaknesses identified in the RCI report. The special committee has met three times, and the technical committee five times, with the hope of finalizing the amendment and executing it next year.