Kuala lumpur: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has emphasized that no individual will be exempt from legal action if their name surfaces in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report concerning Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid, who also serves as the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, asserted the necessity of transparency in disclosing the RCI findings. He stressed that if any misconduct is identified, appropriate legal procedures should be followed. "The findings from the RCI investigation and study must be made known transparently. If there is any abuse of power, irregularity, criminal breach of trust, or other malpractices, there are processes to lodge police reports and conduct investigations in terms of commercial crimes and other legal aspects, which can be carried out subsequently," he stated.
He conveyed these remarks to reporters at the Malaysian Armed Forces Southern Zone Family Day Carnival at Kem Syed Sirajuddin, Gemas, an event also graced by Army Chief Gen Tan Sri Azhan Md Othman. When questioned about the potential impact of the report's release on BN's campaign in the impending Negeri Sembilan state election, Ahmad Zahid, also the UMNO president, expressed confidence that it would not affect the campaign, attributing this to the voters' ability to make informed decisions. "I do not think it will have any influence... The people, especially voters in Negeri Sembilan, are very wise in making their assessments. In their minds and hearts, they know which candidate and which coalition they will vote for," he remarked.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had earlier assured that the Cabinet is expected to approve the proposal to publicize the RCI report on TH after its submission for Cabinet review. Anwar, who also holds the position of Finance Minister, clarified that the previous delay in releasing the report was intended to maintain confidence in TH, but noted that the situation has evolved positively, with the institution now bolstered and recognized internationally.
Early voting for the Negeri Sembilan state election is set for Tuesday, with the main polling day scheduled for August 1.