KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is moving to charge several individuals over the next two days following a massive probe into the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Tabung Haji (TH).
MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman said that the upcoming charges centre on the alleged abuse of power and misappropriation of RM334.2 million linked to investments in TH Marine, TH Alam, and TH Alam Management, FMT reported.
“Another charge involves alleged corruption related to TH’s 30 per cent stake in construction company Putrajaya Perdana Bhd. Once the cases are registered, we will know the details. At this point, I cannot say more,” Halim told a press conference at the MACC headquarters today.
The suspects are expected to be produced before the Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam Sessions Courts.
In a parallel development, Halim disclosed that a separate investigation into TH’s investment in Al-Rawda Real Estate Development and Project Management Company Ltd is nearing completion.
The case involves hotel leases in Mecca and Medina valued at approximately RM2.68 billion and is expected to result in charges next week.
“Yes, the charges involve a VIP,” Halim confirmed.
The scale of the losses was previously detailed by Finance Minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan during a special Dewan Rakyat sitting on Aug 11.
Amir noted that the RCI into TH’s financial management from 2014 to 2020 found that seven of the fund’s 14 investments resulted in losses, with the Al-Rawda deal being the most severe.
Between 2015 and 2017, TH paid 1.4 billion Saudi riyals (approximately RM1.5 billion) to an intermediary to lease four hotels in Mecca and Medina for Malaysian pilgrims.
While Al-Rawda was contracted to operate the hotels and repay TH 2.49 billion Saudi riyals in rental, the company defaulted starting in the first quarter of 2019. Because the investment was secured only through personal promissory notes, TH was forced to recognise a full impairment loss of RM1 billion in 2024.
The crackdown has already seen significant arrests. Earlier today, a former minister was remanded for five days to assist in the Al-Rawda probe.
A total of 11 other individuals have also been detained, including a former TH chairman (60), a former managing director (61), and three former senior general managers.
Other detainees include a former minister (65), a director of Putrajaya Perdana Bhd (59), a former director of the same firm (69), a former director of Putra Perdana Construction Sdn Bhd (61), and the chief operating officer of Alam Maritim Sdn Bhd (67).
