It is shameful and obnoxious for so-called people’s representatives to shirk their responsibility to serve the interests of the people.
Such reprehensible behaviour came to light when opposition Members of Parliament from Pas and its proxy, Wawasan, walked out of the special Dewan Rakyat sitting to debate the findings of the Tabung Haji Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI).
They did so on the flimsy and childish excuse that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was on medical leave after undergoing a medical procedure, was not present to answer queries.
The politicians should have been responsible enough to stay and debate the RCI report on fraud and misappropriation involving Tabung Haji funds under the previous Barisan Nasional government, particularly Umno.
It is the norm for the minister responsible for Tabung Haji’s affairs to conduct briefings and answer queries, with or without the prime minister’s attendance. Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was present and, as deputy prime minister, could answer inquiries on behalf of the government and the prime minister, supported by the relevant ministers.
The walkout and refusal to engage in parliamentary debate on such a serious issue was not so much about the prime minister’s absence as about Zahid and Barisan Nasional. It could be seen as a move by Pas to avoid embarrassing or mocking Zahid, its newfound ally, with pointed queries that could expose Barisan Nasional’s alleged malfeasance and misfeasance.
More importantly, it could be seen as an attempt to cover up their involvement in the establishment of the RCI when they were part of the ruling government. They had declared that there were no discrepancies in the management and finances of the fund, with the Auditor General’s report giving Tabung Haji’s finances a clean bill of health.
It is unimaginable that Umno, which touted itself as the saviour and protector of the Malays, could have squandered the hard-earned savings of ordinary Malays – farmers, fishermen, schoolteachers, petty traders and others who saved to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, the fifth pillar of Islam.
But Umno is now on the defensive, presenting a different narrative to divert attention from its alleged involvement and reassure voters that it was innocent. They tried to bury the RCI report during Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s tenure as prime minister because they wanted to keep under wraps findings that could reveal the involvement of its ministers.
Anwar said he had withheld the RCI report to prevent panic among depositors, which could have led to mass withdrawals and destabilised Tabung Haji.
There has also been speculation that the decision was intended to appease Zahid and Umno, which are part of the unity government.
The Tabung Haji debacle represents a serious breach of trust during the Umno and Barisan Nasional years in government. Other scandals that occurred under Umno’s watch include the Bank Bumiputera scandal, the Perwaja Steel fiasco and the Port Klang Free Zone fiasco, culminating in the infamous 1MDB scandal.
In the current Tabung Haji case, a special task force has been set up to investigate and review several matters arising from the RCI findings, including criminal breach of trust, doctoring of accounts, money laundering and malfeasance in investments without proper due diligence and risk assessments.
Yet there are those claiming that there was no fraud or that the funds were not squandered (sakau).
By all counts, people in their right minds, especially Malays, should be wary of whom they give their political support to, particularly those who claim to defend the race while being accused of squandering the country’s wealth.
Hardcore poverty still exists in the country, and a significant segment of the Malay population lives at or below the poverty line. If politicians claim to defend the race, they should alleviate the people’s hardships, not squander money belonging to the people.
When the Pakatan Harapan government was reviewing measures to salvage Tabung Haji, Pas not only failed to offer help but also defended the alleged malfeasance and fraud. Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang also said that the issue of wrongdoing at Tabung Haji was being blown out of proportion to give Malay Muslims a bad name.
After the Sheraton Move in 2020, Pas became part of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional administration, and Ahmad Marzuk Shaary of Pas was appointed deputy minister in charge of religious affairs. The government subsequently established a Royal Commission of Inquiry in 2021, during Muhyiddin’s tenure as prime minister.
The Tabung Haji controversy represents a serious breach of trust and a lack of moral compass among the very people who pledged to protect Malays and Islam.
Instead, Umno and Pas have not only reneged on that pledge but, worse, undermined and cheated the Malay polity of its hard-earned money for individual and partisan benefit.
It cannot be denied that Umno’s DNA is perceived as being intertwined with corrupt practices, while Pas appears more concerned with power than the wellbeing of the ummah and lacks the administrative and developmental qualities needed to advance the country towards prosperity.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not represent those of Twentytwo13.
