Kuala lumpur: Reports regarding video clips allegedly tarnishing Lembaga Tabung Haji's (TH) image on social media have been lodged with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na'im Mokhtar stated he is aware of several online videos urging Muslims to stop saving with TH.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Na'im emphasized that these actions do not support efforts to defend TH, prompting the government to investigate. Complaints have been submitted to the MCMC, and police reports have been lodged on several videos deemed inciting, with the matter handed to authorities for a fair investigation. He addressed these concerns during Ministers' Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat, in response to a query from Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) regarding government efforts to curb the spread of false narratives and malicious allegations against TH on social media.
Mohd Na'im further commented that TH, in collaboration with Islamic agencies such as TV Al-Hijrah and the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM), will continue conducting comprehensive campaigns to clarify issues surrounding the institution. He expressed hope that everyone can work together to help defend the image of the TH institution.
Regarding the consortium appointed for the TH rebranding project, he explained that TH, through a strict direct negotiation process, selected a group of consulting firms with complementary expertise to restructure the strategy and revitalise the institution. Direct negotiation is a permitted procurement method for specific needs, especially for strategic services that require specialized expertise, such as consulting, market surveys, studies, and other services that cannot be obtained through the standard tender process.
He detailed that the selection followed a strict governance process, including a comprehensive assessment of technical and commercial expertise, price negotiations, and approvals by the tender committee and the TH board of directors, ensuring transparency, accountability, and the best value for the organisation. Additionally, Mohd Na'im expressed full confidence in TH chairman Tan Sri Rashid Hussain's leadership in executing the institution's rebranding.
Responding to an original question from Datuk Dr Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN-Pengkalan Chepa) on whether TH still practises direct negotiation procurement, Mohd Na'im noted that most of the institution's procurements are conducted through the tender process. He mentioned that in 2012, TH obtained approval from the Ministry of Finance to be exempted from the government procurement process, granting the board of directors greater autonomy in making appointments.