TH RCI: Debate Should Focus On Ending Political Interference, Says Academic
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- Tomorrow's parliamentary debate on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) should focus on ensuring there is no political involvement or interference in the institution's administration, a business academic said.
Putra Business School MBA programme director Prof Dr Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff said this was important to ensure TH remained led by professionals with integrity and free from personal or partisan interests.
Ahmed Razman said the RCI’s findings on losses, unjustified bonus payments, conflicts of interest and loss-making investments should serve as lessons to strengthen TH’s internal controls and corporate governance.
“What is important is to ensure that the management remains made up of professionals, with no more political appointments to the board of directors and no interference by any party for personal or partisan interests.
“This is what we hope will be addressed in the parliamentary debate, so that all reform efforts are clearly and transparently presented to the people,” he said on Bernama TV's ‘Apa Khabar Malaysia’ programme, which discussed the recent RCI findings on Tabung Haji.
Ahmed Razman said the Dewan Rakyat debate should also be conducted constructively and based on facts to restore public confidence, rather than becoming a platform for political polemics that could raise unfounded doubts.
If further action was required against individuals identified as responsible during the RCI’s investigation period, it should be taken transparently and openly, he added.
“There may be further investigations into these individuals, and we hope they will be conducted transparently and openly so that there is no perception that certain parties have escaped action or been given preferential treatment, including when only certain individuals are taken to task,” he said.
On public concerns over the RCI report, Ahmed Razman said depositors should not panic as their savings in TH were fully guaranteed by the government under the law, unlike the deposit guarantee limits applicable to commercial banks.
He said TH’s success in implementing more than 75 per cent of the RCI's recommendations for improvement demonstrated that the Islamic fund management institution was now on a sound path to recovery.
The special Dewan Rakyat sitting to debate the RCI report will be held tomorrow, beginning with a briefing by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan, followed by a question-and-answer session and debate by members of parliament.
The debate is expected to be wound up by Zulkifli and Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
-- BERNAMA