Kuala lumpur: The government is prioritizing the interests of Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) depositors over short-term political gains by taking a cautious approach to the disclosure of the TH Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report, as stated by Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu, Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Aiman Athirah emphasized the necessity of this approach to ensure the stability of the financial institution managing the savings of over 10 million depositors. The aim is to prevent disruptions that could potentially trigger public concern, as seen in 2018 when governance issues led to withdrawals exceeding RM6 billion.
Aiman Athirah highlighted the significance of Tabung Haji, not just as an organization but as a crucial institution managing the aspirations of Muslims to fulfill the fifth pillar of Islam. She stressed that the government's actions should focus on maintaining the institution's stability, which serves as a savings and hope platform for millions of Muslims, rather than managing political perceptions.
She addressed the responses from certain parties, particularly PAS and Parti Wawasan Negara (Wawasan), who have questioned the timing of the report's disclosure. Aiman Athirah called for these concerns to be addressed with facts and responsibility instead of political rhetoric. She noted that the call for thorough investigation by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, underscores the seriousness of the governance issues involved.
Aiman Athirah welcomed the explanation by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Dr. Zulkifli Hasan, during a special Dewan Rakyat sitting. He reported that more than 70 percent of the RCI's recommendations related to TH's management and operations had been implemented, including forensic audits on 14 troubled investments.
She expressed support for the government's commitment to amend the Tabung Haji Act 1995 [Act 535] to enhance governance, limit ministerial powers, and ensure TH remains free from political influence and appointments. Regarding TH's recovery, Aiman Athirah noted that the institution's investment income reached a record RM4.64 billion in 2025, with profit distribution increasing from 1.25 percent in 2018 to 3.5 percent in 2025.
Furthermore, she mentioned that the cost of performing the haj has been maintained at RM33,000 for three consecutive seasons despite rising management costs, with improvements in TH's governance, professionalism, and management quality. She stated that the MADANI Government prioritized restoring depositors' confidence, strengthening TH's financial position, improving governance, and stabilizing operations before publicizing the RCI report.
Aiman Athirah also criticized certain parties for politicizing the issue of the report's disclosure, labeling the decision by some opposition lawmakers to walk out during the special sitting as irresponsible. During this sitting, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan revealed that TH had incurred nearly RM13 billion in losses from 14 troubled investments, with the government bearing RM10.2 billion through a rescue measure in 2018 and RM2.6 billion in impairment losses borne by TH between 2018 and 2025.