SUCH was the harsh tone conveyed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after it was revealed by the Madani administration’s once insider Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli that the latter has been concealing findings of the Tabung Haji Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) for a good three years.
The inquiry was initiated to probe an estimated RM11 bil deficit in assets versus liabilities discovered by the then Pakatan Harapan (PH) 1.0 government in 2018 as well as alleged mismanagement and breaches of the law prior to that date.
Recall that the probe on the Pilgrims’ Fund Board was focused on the “bailout” mechanism where under-performing and problematic assets were transferred to a government-owned special-purpose vehicle Urusharta Jamaah Sdn Bhd
“The Tabung Haji RCI report should have been revealed as early as 2023 when the report was first completed,” Rafizi who is now a vocal Madani critic exposed in a media statement.
But as PMX was very careful to protect UMNO’s heart at that time, the decision was made to bury the report.
Only after I spoke up for the umpteenth time – and this time speaking from the outside as a critic – was the decision quickly made to reveal the Tabung Haji RCI report to the public.
Interestingly, even UMNO’s very own firebrand Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh made the clarion call to PMX who is also the Finance Minister “to arrest and charge culprit/s who have ‘plundered’ the Tabung Haji fund”.
‘The rakyat have the right to know who plundered (the money),” he reacted to news report of PMX lamenting the “plundering of billions of ringgit from Tabung Haji and 1MDB funds” during a Santai Petang Bersama Perdana Menteri event in Ampangan, Seremban in conjunction with the Aug 1 Negeri Sembilan state polls.
The RCI on Tabung Haji has been concluded, hence please expose and arrest those who have embezzled the hajj fund money.
Since PMX was in the opposition, the issue of the hajj fund has been hotly talked about (as election capital) but until today, no charges have been levelled against any individual.
We hope PMX is able to (swiftly) apprehend the plunderer/s.
As the self-proclaimed staunch defender of race and religion is oblivious to the very fact that the said embezzlement occurred primarily between 2014 and 2018 during the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration, BERSAMA co-leader Rafizi has aptly pointed to the high cost of “political compromises ultimately backfiring”,
“The best example is the irregularities that occurred in Tabung Haji for over a decade due to weak governance under the BN which has since been sanctified by PAS in the name of ummah unity,” jibed the former economy minister and ex-PKR deputy president.
By right, disclosing the RCI findings as early as 2023 when it was ready should be one of the earliest decisions to be made upon formation of the unity government.
I’m confident the detailed report will show how the (religious) institution has broken down under the UMNO administration.
It also helps the people digest how political manoeuvring through acts of sanctification, especially by PAS, has led to confusion among the rakyat about what has happened at Tabung Haji.
Cynical about how PMX having allegedly sat on the Tabung Haji RCI findings by not wanting to hurt UMNO’s feeling only for the latter to backstab the Madani government, former senior journalist-turned-political observer Andrew Sia has made a pertinent remark:
Anwar to release Tabung Haji report three years late. Will expose how UMNO burgers [sic] sanggup rompak (willingly rob) Muslim funds, says Rafizi.
But will Malay voters still support korup (corrupt) UMNO given holy water blessing by PAS?
The former environment editor at The Star who in recent times has good words to say about BERSAMA following failure of the Madani government to deliver reforms that it promised during the 15th General Election (GE15) campaigning further described how PMX’s reluctance to reveal the RCI findings as epitomising “ReforMATI”.
“The PAS snake now blesses UMNO when dulu hantam (in the past whacked) as Parti Korup Zahid 47 [sic],” mocked the now columnist of Malaysiakini.
Well, below are some of the darndest comments to Sia’s post for Madani backers to digest:
- Focus Malaysia
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.