Govt would face flak over Tabung Haji RCI report either way, says Nurul Izzah

Govt would face flak over Tabung Haji RCI report either way, says Nurul Izzah

PETALING JAYA: The government would have faced criticism regardless of when the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) report on Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) was released, says PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar.

She said the key issue was that the report had now been made public, allowing voters to examine and understand its findings, Bernama reported.

“This is important to safeguard Tabung Haji and ensure that every Muslim will have the opportunity to perform the haj.

“Whether we released the RCI report or not, we would still have come under attack. What matters is the transparency and courage to make it public,” she told reporters in Kuala Pilah.

The RCI report on TH was declassified and released to the public yesterday, about four years after the commission completed it in July 2022.

It found serious weaknesses in the pilgrim fund’s governance, investment and financial management between 2014 and 2020, and recommended a major overhaul, including tighter oversight, forensic audits of selected investments and limits on political involvement in the institution.

However, several quarters have questioned the timing of the report’s release, which came days before Saturday’s Negeri Sembilan election.