KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — Barisan Nasional (BN) wants all recommendations in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on the management and operations of Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) from 2014 to 2020 to be fully implemented to strengthen confidence among its 10 million depositors.
BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the measures were also necessary to further strengthen TH governance.
“The RCI findings cover governance, power structures, the separation of functions and checks and balances. These should form the basis for strengthening TH, rather than be used for short-term political gain.
“BN welcomes the improvements already undertaken, including the implementation of the RCI recommendations, and believes institutional transformation must continue consistently,” he said in a statement today.
Zambry, who is also Higher Education Minister, said the declassification, ministerial briefing and debate of the RCI report in the Dewan Rakyat demonstrated that transparency had been pursued through legitimate institutional channels.
“BN believes the special parliamentary sitting provided ample room for public scrutiny of the TH RCI report. Transparency has taken place, the debate has been held, and transformation is under way.
“The focus now should no longer be on creating the perception that anyone is trying to hide something,” he said.
Zambry urged all parties to avoid sweeping accusations, political judgement before legal processes were concluded, and narratives that could undermine TH depositors’ confidence without a responsible basis.
He said BN had never sought to restrict public scrutiny of issues involving TH, pointing to BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s early support for the RCI report to be disclosed in Parliament and debated at a special sitting.
“He also proposed broadening the scrutiny to ensure truly comprehensive transparency,” Zambry said.
In the statement, Zambry also called for a comprehensive review of TH’s wider governance history, extending beyond the 2014 to 2020 period examined by the RCI.
“This should include developments and decisions after 2020, such as the role played by Urusharta Jemaah Sdn Bhd since its establishment,” he added. — Bernama
