Kuala lumpur: The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) tonight released the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on the management and operations of the Tabung Haji (TH) from 2014 to 2020. The 211-page report, published in PDF format on JAKIM's website, contains an executive summary, four main chapters, and a list of exhibits related to the inquiry.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the commission's findings and recommendations to improve TH's management and operations were submitted to the then 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah. The six-member Royal Commission of Inquiry was chaired by former Chief Justice Tun Md Raus Sharif, with members including former Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Samsudin Osman and RHB Group founder Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain. The commission also included former Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad chairman Tan Sri Dr Mohd Munir Abdul Majid, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah International Islamic University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asmadi Mohamed Naim, and chartered accountant Norsyahrin Hamidon.
Datuk Hakimah Mohd Yusoff served as the commission's secretary, appointed while she was the Deputy Director-General (Policy) of JAKIM. The commissioners were appointed by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on January 20, 2022, for a six-month term concluding on July 19 of the same year.
The report revealed that the inquiry employed four approaches: collection of records and documents, agency briefings, statutory declarations by witnesses, and commission proceedings. "The Commission identified 45 witnesses who could assist the inquiry and recorded their evidence through Statutory Declarations, while 16 of them were called to testify during closed proceedings at the Putrajaya Islamic Complex," the report detailed.
Testimonies were provided by former Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department, former TH chairmen, and former TH chief executive officers. The commission's terms of reference focused on issues identified by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst and Young, and Roland Berger, excluding any ongoing restructuring and recovery plans.
The RCI was tasked with examining documents and evidence to ascertain the concealment of information or misleading statements. It was also responsible for recommending actions against any parties found in breach of the law. The report's chapters cover TH's management and operations, findings, recommendations, and a conclusion with 25 proposals for improvement.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of the RCI on July 14, 2021, under the Commissions of Enquiry Act 1950, with objectives and terms of reference finalized on October 8 of the same year.