Putrajaya: Former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom faced the Sessions Court today, charged with three counts of causing Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) to dispose of RM860,308,770.51, or SAR766,060,237 (Saudi Riyals), to Al-Rawda Real Estate Development and Projects Management Co Ltd, a property development firm based in Saudi Arabia. Jamil Khir, aged 65 and a former Jerai MP, pleaded not guilty to the charges read out before Judge Rosli Ahmad.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the charges allege that Jamil Khir, in his role as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), dishonestly caused the TH Board to dispose of its property. The sums involved were RM42,942,074 (equivalent to SAR44.170 million), RM288,172,134.64 (SAR250,041,622), and RM529,194,561.87 (SAR471,848,615) to Al-Rawda. These offences were purportedly committed at the Minister's office in Putrajaya on April 3, 2015, and at the same location on December 14, 2016, and August 17, 2017.
The charges are framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code. If convicted, the penalties could include imprisonment for six months to five years, whipping, and a fine. Deputy public prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan suggested a bail of RM1 million and asked for Jamil Khir's passport to be surrendered until the case concludes. She emphasized the high-profile nature of the case and deemed these measures reasonable.
Jamil Khir's defense attorney, Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, proposed a reduced bail of RM300,000, arguing that bail should not be punitive. Hisyam highlighted Jamil Khir's limited income, which includes pensions from his ministerial tenure and as a former Major General in the Malaysian Armed Forces. He argued that RM300,000 in bail, coupled with the surrender of the passport, would suffice to ensure Jamil Khir's court appearances.
Judge Rosli set the bail at RM300,000 for all charges in one surety, with the condition that Jamil Khir's passport be surrendered. The case is scheduled for mention on November 5.
Jamil Khir was detained on September 2 at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya to aid investigations into the TH Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report. He was held for seven days and released on bail on September 8. The TH RCI report, released on July 29, revealed management weaknesses and problematic investments by TH between 2014 and 2020, necessitating a forensic audit. The report noted suspicious transactions and information concealment, highlighting that TH incurred nearly RM13 billion in losses from 14 problematic investments, with the Al-Rawda investment recording the largest loss.