Kuala lumpur: Former Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and two former senior officials have been remanded for two days to aid in an investigation into an alleged cheating case related to TH hibah payments. The remand order was issued by Senior Assistant Registrar Mohamad Afiq Zuber at the Sessions Court following a police application.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad stated that the three individuals are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code concerning the payment of Tabung Haji hibah. He also mentioned that the defense had informed the court that further remand was unnecessary as the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report investigation had concluded, with findings submitted to the Attorney General's Chambers.
Amer Hamzah added that Abdul Azeez had gone to Bukit Aman voluntarily upon being informed by police and had appeared in court to face new charges by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). He emphasized that Abdul Azeez has cooperated fully and is not considered a flight risk, having provided all necessary information to investigating officers.
Following the remand proceedings, Abdul Azeez was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with allegedly using his position to gain the chairmanship of a company and influencing TH board members to approve a proposed RM193.5 million investment in the company 12 years ago. On August 27, he and a former Treasury secretary-general were remanded for seven days to assist further investigations after the RCI report disclosure on July 29.
The RCI report examined TH's management and operations from 2014 to 2020 and recommended a forensic audit of past investment decisions that led to a significant decline in asset value. It identified troubled investments requiring forensic audits and found suspicious transactions and concealment of information. The inquiry included findings by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst and Young (EY), and Roland Berger, excluding ongoing restructuring and recovery plans.