Kuala lumpur: Experts have called for the immediate release of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH), saying it is necessary to establish the truth, protect depositors, and improve the institution's governance.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, while supporting greater transparency, senior lecturer in political science at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in Seremban, Dr. Mazlan Che Soh, stated that the report should not become a tool for assigning blame before legal proceedings are completed or for pursuing short-term political interests. He emphasized that the public, particularly depositors, have a right to know the outcome of the inquiry because TH is not merely a financial institution but a trust institution for Muslims managing savings for the haj pilgrimage. Transparency is essential to address remaining questions, identify governance shortcomings, and ensure such mistakes are not repeated.
Dr. Mazlan suggested that the government release an executive summary, outlining the RCI recommendations that have been acted upon and explaining the next steps. He acknowledged that while the report's release could influence some voters' views, particularly Malay-Muslim voters and TH depositors, it would not necessarily lead to a significant shift in overall public support. Voter decisions, he noted, are shaped by various factors, including the cost of living, state government performance, candidates' credibility, party loyalty, and grassroots machinery strength.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jamaie Hamil, Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), remarked that the TH issue had dragged on for too long, with improvements already made from the first Pakatan Harapan administration to the current MADANI Government.
Retired civil servant Wan Osman Hashim, 70, expressed in a TikTok video that the government should act quickly to resolve the issue and ensure justice for the public. He urged the government to resolve the matter swiftly to prevent Tabung Haji from suffering losses. It is crucial, he emphasized, to investigate any alleged wrongdoing involving Malaysians' money. His video, lasting one minute and eight seconds, was also shared by Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed confidence in the Cabinet's agreement to make the RCI report on Tabung Haji public once it is tabled for consideration.