Radzi Jidin Questions 43-Month Delay in Releasing Tabung Haji RCI Report, Contrasts with Swift FELDA White Paper

PUTRAJAYA, July 30 — Former Senior Minister of Education Datuk Seri Dr Radzi Jidin has questioned why the government kept the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) hidden for over 43 months after it was presented to the Cabinet in December 2022.

Contrasting the prolonged delay with the swift tabling of the FELDA White Paper in 2019, Radzi defended the former administration under Perikatan Nasional (PN) President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, emphasizing that Muhyiddin’s Cabinet took decisive action to reform the pilgrimage board’s governance.

Radzi noted that the proposal to form the Tabung Haji RCI was first discussed in Cabinet on Aug 14, 2020, under Muhyiddin’s leadership as Prime Minister, before receiving formal approval from the same Cabinet on July 14, 2021.

The finalized RCI report was subsequently submitted to the Cabinet on Dec 14, 2022, during the current administration under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“The Cabinet under the leadership of BERSATU President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin worked hard to do its best to strengthen Tabung Haji’s governance through the establishment of the RCI,” Radzi said in a statement today.

“Many are asking why, after more than 43 months since the TH RCI report was presented to the Cabinet, the government is only now disclosing it to the public? That is for today’s government to answer,” he questioned.

Radzi, who previously served as Deputy Economic Affairs Minister prior to his tenure as Education Minister, drew a direct contrast between the handling of the Tabung Haji report and the FELDA White Paper.

He noted that the FELDA document was prepared by the Ministry of Economic Affairs when Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali served as Minister and Radzi served as Deputy Minister following his appointment on July 17, 2018.

He highlighted that the FELDA White Paper not only detailed complex internal structural issues but also incorporated comprehensive forensic reports covering eight asset acquisitions and investments.

“Immediately after it was completed and received the green light from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the FELDA White Paper was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on April 10, 2019,” Radzi explained.

Concluding his statement, Radzi emphasized the stark difference in administrative handling between the two institutional reviews, pointing out that the FELDA White Paper was presented to Parliament without delay, whereas the Tabung Haji RCI report was kept back for over 43 months before being brought to light.

-NMT