Did TH also inject RM1.6bil into 1MDB bonds?

After Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) was embroiled in controversy over its land purchase from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), questions have emerged if the pilgrimage fund had earlier injected RM1.6 billion into 1MDB's Islamic bonds.

PAS vice president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, in a statement today, posed this question based on documents leaked by a blogger which led to the expose about Tabung Haji's land purchase from cash-strapped 1MDB.

In the risk assessment document about Tabung Haji's plan to develop luxury service apartments on the land it purchased from 1MDB, it was mentioned in passing that the pilgrimage fund had an existing investment of RM1.5 billion in 1MDB's Bandar Malaysia's sukuk.

"The entire investment in the 1MDB development project including the land and buildings (Signature Tower and serviced apartments) is expected to cost Tabung Haji approximately RM3.2 billion.

“If bundled together with the existing investment in 1MDB's Bandar Malaysia sukuk programme valued at RM1.6 billion, the total exposure in 1MDB would be around RM4.8 billion which we deem quite substantial for a single entity investment.

"Even without the building, the land cost and the sukuk investment is valued at RM2.4 billion which is high considering the financial problems facing by 1MDB," read the documents leaked by blogger The Benchmark.

"Does this mean that Tabung Haji had already invested RM1.6 billion in 1MDB even before the controversy over its purchase of the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) land broke out?" asked Tuan Ibrahim.

'Come clean on matter'

He pointed out that Bandar Malaysia, owned by 1MDB, had only on Feb 18 last year announced it was selling a sukuk worth RM2.4 billion.

"If the claim is true, it means Tabung Haji paid for 66 percent of the sukuk issued by 1MDB," he said.

Tuan Ibrahim urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (photo) as well as Tabung Haji chairperson Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim to come clean on the matter.

"If it is true, what is the status of the sukuk investment? Has it generated returns or was it used to pay off 1MDB's mounting debt that Tabung Haji had to buy the TRX land from 1MDB?" he queried.

Tabung Haji was embroiled in controversy after it paid RM188.5 million for 1.56 acres of the 70-acre Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) land by 1MDB, which is struggling to repay its whopping RM42 billion debt.

1MDB had purchased the entire 70 acres from the government for a mere RM194.1 million.

This translates to a purchase of RM2,773 per square foot (psf) by TH, while 1MDB bought the land for only RM64 psf from the government.