KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 — The selection of candidates for the haj pilgrimage sponsorship by Yayasan 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) had some elements of politicking, said Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

The Parit Buntar MP revealed in the Dewan Rakyat that the candidates selected for the programmes were nominated by Umno chief divisions, which he said reflected a political agenda.

“When the programme was introduced in 2011, it was initially for the ‘Imam’ and ‘bilal’, with a total of 111 candidates. But then the number expanded as JKKK members were also included, and reached up to 800 candidates in 2013, and 1,200 in 2015,” said Mujahid, referring to the Village Development and Security Committee.

“The process of the nomination of candidates were presented by the Umno chief divisions. This clearly shows there was a political reason by using the Yayasan 1MDB, and we know what happened to 1MDB.”

Replying to a question from Pontian MP Datuk Ahmad Maslan, who said he was one of the 1,200 selected candidates this year, Mujahid said the government will not continue the sponsorship since the source of the funds were from the strategic development company, which is currently under investigations.

He also said the quota allocated for those under the sponsorship had taken up the quota of the existing pilgrims registered under Tabung Haji (TH).

“It would be unfair if we continue with it even though some of the candidates are willing to fund their own pilgrimage.

“We have ceased the programme because of the investigation, it’s not a matter of us being cruel or anything. The 1,200 quota was allocated by the former prime minister based on the previous policy, which we do not need to follow,” he said, referring to Pekan MP Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Baling MP and former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez bin Abdul Rahim, however, had disputed the claims that the quota under the sponsorship were taken from the 30,290 allocation under TH and asked for the ruling government to relook into the claims.

Mujahid said from 2011 to 2017, the special haj programme had sponsored 5,711 pilgrims with a total cost of RM56,995,780.