KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 ― Poor governance in Islamic institutions results from years of protection from public scrutiny, opposition lawmakers said today amid allegations of corruption against Islamic college Baitulmal Professional Institute (IPB).
The graft accusations against the college by IPB CEO Dr Syed Omar Syed Aqil, who claimed he was suspended for whistleblowing, come amid the controversy surrounding Islamic charity Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia (Yapeim) and questions of how the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) uses its funds.
"There is an urgent need for the government to review the standards of governance in these institutions," PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli told Malay Mail Online.
He also said issues regarding the administration of these institutions are not new, but are being exposed now due to fresh awareness on corruption in public institutions in general.
"The fact that these are Islamic institutions makes it worse because the people look up to these institutions to represent themselves," said Rafizi, who is also Pandan MP.
Malay Mail Online reported this week Syed Omar’s allegations of corruption and criminal breach of trust against IPB, which is 70 per cent owned by the Federal Territories Islamic Council (MAIWP), including missing details about IPB’s purported RM10 million debt in 2014, overpaying for taxes, and sending a financial report to the National Audit Department that was allegedly cleaned up.
Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) vice chairman Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said that an institution being Islamic does not make them "invulnerable to scrutiny".
"It is worse for such organisations that have Islamic labels engaging in corruption [as it] would tarnish Islam's image," Mujahid told Malay Mail Online.
Mujahid, who is Parit Buntar MP, also stressed that any questions regarding these institutions must not be seen as a criticism of Islam.
"We are questioning administrative issues," he said.
DAP's Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari said issues surrounding Islamic institutions showed that corruption and mismanagement had spread across all government agencies.
"This is like just like a cancer in advanced stages," he said. "I don't think there is any public institution now that does not have issues such as these."
He urged Putrajaya to take immediate measures, claiming that misappropriation would not have happened without the knowledge of the federal government.
