Anwar Says Tabung Haji Management Under His Government Should Also Be Reviewed

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the management of Tabung Haji during his own administration should also be examined, according to Free Malaysia Today. His remarks came as a Royal Commission of Inquiry report into the pilgrimage fund was tabled in Parliament.

Anwar said the report was presented on the basis of national interest rather than politics, The Star reported. The RCI examines the handling of Tabung Haji, the fund that manages savings for Malaysians planning the haj pilgrimage.

The inquiry has drawn wider attention because a former Malaysian minister has been charged over the alleged misappropriation of US$211 million in haj pilgrimage funds, according to Channel NewsAsia. The Straits Times has also reported on the events surrounding the fund. Malaysiakini published reader responses arguing that responsibility for the fund's losses must be assigned.

tabung haji

Anwar's call for scrutiny of the period under his government, known as the Madani administration, signals that the review is not limited to earlier years. The material reviewed does not specify which period or individuals the RCI report covers, beyond the charge already brought against the former minister.

What to watch next is how Parliament and the relevant authorities respond to the RCI's findings and whether the review Anwar called for extends to the fund's current management.