Set up independent panel for TH-linked business complaints, govt urged

 Analysts say affected partners, suppliers and creditors need a fair hearing and the resolution of valid claims.

If public institutions are expected to protect people’s savings, they must also be held accountable for how they exercise power over other people’s businesses, an analyst says.

PETALING JAYA:

The government has been urged to set up an independent panel to investigate complaints from businesses affected by troubled Tabung Haji-linked ventures, and explore avenues for redress.

Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting said scrutiny should extend beyond the pilgrim fund’s losses to how its partners, suppliers and creditors have been treated.

Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri.

“My proposal is straightforward: establish a confidential, time-limited evidence submission process, protect credible complainants against retaliation, and publish the panel’s findings without compromising ongoing legal proceedings,” he told FMT.

He proposed a panel, preferably under parliamentary oversight, comprising specialists in forensic accounting, corporate law, insolvency and public-sector governance.

“If public institutions are expected to protect people’s savings, they must also be held accountable for how they exercise power over other people’s businesses.”

Zaharuddin said the review must distinguish ordinary commercial losses from contractual disputes, governance failures and possible criminal wrongdoing.

“Not every failed investment is corruption, but neither should every questionable transaction be conveniently dismissed as a business decision,” he said.

The call comes after former TH chief executive officer Johan Abdullah and former chief financial officer Rozaida Omar were charged on Oct 22 for allegedly using inflated property valuations to facilitate RM3.3 billion in hibah payments in 2017.

Both pleaded not guilty.

Separately, FGV reported in November 2019 that its accumulated share of losses from Trurich, its 50:50 plantation venture with TH, stood at approximately RM234 million.

Meanwhile, in July 2023, the High Court awarded Globalmariner Offshore Services (GMOS) RM288.7 million in damages against TH Heavy Engineering (THHE) for breaching their shareholders’ agreement.

TH’s stake in THHE was transferred to Urusharta Jamaah in 2018.

Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia expressed support for wider scrutiny to establish whether the ventures pointed to broader governance problems and to identify measures that could prevent their recurrence.

Syaza Shukri.

“I think, yes, businesses should come forward because they should have confidence that their complaints would receive a fair hearing,” she said.

She said independent external experts could be tasked with assessing complaints, while the auditor-general and the Public Accounts Committee could also serve as avenues for further scrutiny.

Syaza said accountability must deliver practical remedies, warning that ineffective follow-through could undermine confidence in the system.

Zaharuddin proposed an independent audit of outstanding judgments and verified commercial claims, alongside a transparent process to identify recoverable assets.

He also called for a time-bound mechanism to resolve valid claims through enforcement, restructuring or negotiated settlements.

“Compensation must follow established legal liability, not political pressure,” he said.

“Ultimately, the success of accountability should not be measured by how many former executives are investigated, but by how much truth is uncovered, how much money is lawfully recovered, and how many legitimate claims are finally resolved.” - FMT

An old bicycle, a late-night call and a friendship beyond politics

 What began as a request for welfare assistance has grown into an unlikely friendship, with Vong Fook Hoi now hoping Noor Helmy Abdul Halem wins another term as Duyong assemblyman.

Duyong assemblyman Noor Helmy Abdul Halem with Vong Fook Hoi, better known as ‘Uncle Wong’, whose close friendship with the Umno politician is well-known to residents.

MELAKA:

When Vong Fook Hoi first approached Noor Helmy Abdul Halem for help, the elderly Chinese man had little reason to trust a Barisan Nasional (BN) politician.

It was 2020, and although BN had unexpectedly returned as part of the state government in Melaka, most people, including Vong, were still unhappy with the coalition.

A simple appeal for welfare assistance ultimately brought the two men together, blossoming into a friendship that has become a regular feature of Helmy’s public engagements and social media videos.

Helmy, then a councillor with the Malacca Historic City Council, said Vong was 82 when he came for help, having applied for old-age assistance since he was 60 without success.

“He kept that anger for 20 years. Maybe he applied once and didn’t get it. After that, he was disappointed and never tried again, that is, until he came to me,” he told FMT.

Helmy said all he did was help submit Vong’s application, but the successful outcome marked the beginning of a friendship that continued even after he was elected Duyong assemblyman in the 2021 state election.

Over time, Vong began to trust him and bring other residents’ complaints to his attention.

The Umno man credited Vong, now 88, with helping him understand the concerns of Chinese residents, including what made them unhappy and why they felt disconnected from the government.

“The harmony we see today did not happen overnight. The trust deficit was very big prior to this,” he said.

“There were issues of trust, misunderstandings and major communication breakdowns. I tried to address these issues and resolve them one by one.”

For Vong, that trust was built through Helmy’s willingness to help, even in matters outside the usual demands of an elected representative.

He recounted calling Helmy at about 1.30am one night when he was unwell and needed to see a doctor.

“He was sleeping, but he woke up and came to pick me up,” Vong said.

On another occasion, Helmy bought Vong a new bicycle after noticing the condition of his old one, despite Vong insisting that there was nothing wrong with it.

Such gestures have helped turn Vong into one of Helmy’s most recognisable supporters.

Known as “Uncle Wong”, he frequently appears in the assemblyman’s social media videos. Vong rejects the suggestion that his support has been motivated by money.

“Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying all this because he gives me money. It is not about that. He genuinely cares for the people,” Vong said.

He said Helmy treats everyone with the same respect, regardless of race.

“He treats Chinese, Malays, Indians and everyone else well. He does not say he only wants to look after his own people,” Vong added.

Helmy said he has never paid Vong anything, and that Vong joined campaigns “out of his trust in me”.

He said his social media videos were also a way to explain local services and correct misconceptions about government assistance.

For example, Helmy said residents had frequently complained about grass-cutting services before videos were made explaining the schedule and standards, including that grass should not exceed 5cm after cutting.

He said the number of complaints has since fallen, with those that remain being specific in nature.

Helmy said he hopes to win another term to complete “unfinished work”, including projects first initiated by his predecessor, Damian Yeo of DAP.

“One of these is a health clinic in Duyong. It was first initiated by Damian. He was the one who proposed the site behind the Japerun. I continued what had been started, and today it is close to being implemented,” he said.

As for Vong, he said he would be sad if Helmy lost the election on Nov 14.

“I really, really hope he wins this year. He cannot lose. I hope he wins. I even pray to Tian Gong (the Jade Emperor) to help him win because he is just too good a person,” he said.

Helmy is facing Pakatan Harapan’s Poo Long Suan in a straight fight for the Duyong seat. - FMT

Anwar conditionally open to foreign worker recruitment for palm oil harvesting

 The prime minister says plantation companies must commit to reducing their reliance on foreign labour through mechanisation.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim criticised profitable plantation companies for failing to invest sufficiently in mechanisation and stressed that the exploitation of foreign workers, including placing them in poor living conditions, was unacceptable.

KUALA LUMPUR:

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says he is prepared to consider approving the recruitment of foreign workers for palm oil harvesting, provided plantation companies commit to reducing their reliance on labour through mechanisation.

Speaking at a forum here yesterday, Anwar acknowledged the industry’s labour needs but stressed that companies must invest in mechanisation.

He was responding to a question from an industry representative, who said delays in approving foreign worker quotas could affect palm oil production next year.

The representative said that machinery was already used for fertilising and weed control, but harvesting still depended heavily on manual labour.

Anwar said he would raise the matter with the relevant ministry and examine the request.

“If it is specifically for harvesting, okay. We will approve that. But you must then give an undertaking to reduce your reliance on foreign workers through mechanisation,” he said.

Anwar also criticised profitable plantation companies for failing to invest sufficiently in mechanisation and stressed that the exploitation of foreign workers, including placing them in poor living conditions, was unacceptable.

On broader agricultural reforms, the prime minister called for smallholders to be included in modernisation efforts, warning that excessive reliance on subsidies and assistance could perpetuate dependency.

Meanwhile, agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu said the agricultural sector’s contribution to the economy had grown significantly over the past two years.

“The agricultural sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP has increased by more than RM5 billion over the past two years,” he said.

Mohamad said more university graduates, including those with engineering backgrounds, were venturing into modern agriculture, with some becoming millionaires through aquaculture and high-value crop cultivation. - FMT