Azeez likely to resign as Tabung Haji chairman soon

Source says the Baling MP and several board members who are political appointees are expected to resign once new minister for Islamic affairs is appointed.

Azeez was first appointed to Tabung Haji’s board of directors in 2011.

PETALING JAYA: After the resignation of a few Umno leaders from top positions in key institutions such as Felda and Felcra, Tabung Haji chairman Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim is now “highly likely” to resign, a source said.

But the source told FMT that Azeez, who is a political appointee, had yet to submit his resignation.

“For now it’s status quo. He is still our chairman. Neither he nor some of the board members who are political appointees have submitted their resignations.

“I think once the new government appoints a new minister in charge of Islamic affairs, then those who are political appointees will resign.”

Previously, Tabung Haji, which was established to facilitate pilgrimages for Malaysian Muslims, had come under the purview of the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom

Azeez, a two-term Baling MP, was first appointed to Tabung Haji’s board of directors in 2011.

In July 2013, he was appointed as its chairman. FMT’s attempts to reach Azeez for comment were unsuccessful.

During his time as chairman, Azeez had defended Tabung Haji’s decisions following criticisms that it had “bailed out” 1 Malaysia Development Berhad.

His defence came on the heels of news that Tabung Haji had paid RM2,773 per square foot for a 1.5 acre plot in the Tun Razak Exchange area in Kuala Lumpur, a hefty premium on the RM64psf price at which 1MDB had acquired the land from the federal government.

It was recently reported that former Johor Bahru MP Shahrir Samad had resigned as Felda chairman, while Kinabatangan MP Bung Mokthar Radin had announced he would resign as Felcra chairman at the end of the month. -FMT