KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) will study all views and proposals contained in a memorandum submitted by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to help the organisation carry out continuous improvements for the benefit of its 9.8 million depositors.
In a statement today, TH said the memorandum submitted by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on TH Himpunan Aman Solidariti reflected the public's genuine concern in supporting the national haj institution to safeguard the interests of the Muslim community.
"TH also supports the government's firm action in taking the necessary measures based on the findings of the RCI.
"TH has implemented more than 75 per cent of the RCI's recommendations and continues to actively carry out the remaining recommendations as part of its overall improvement efforts, enabling TH's position today to be far stronger than it was in 2018 following eight years of continuous recovery efforts," the statement said.
Earlier, the Himpunan Gerakan Islam Malaysia (HIKAM) and the Coalition of Islamic NGOs submitted a memorandum containing 10 demands related to the TH RCI report. Among them were calls for immediate, firm and transparent legal action, the recovery of losses, assets and benefits that had been misappropriated, the open and scheduled implementation of the RCI recommendations, and the continuation of governance reforms under the MADANI Government.
"Any weaknesses in governance, abuse of power, negligence, breach of trust or vested-interest interference that could undermine TH must be addressed firmly, transparently and in accordance with the law.
"At the same time, this issue should not be exploited for political gain in a manner that creates confusion, division and erodes the confidence of the Muslim community in TH," HIKAM and the Coalition of Islamic NGOs said in a statement.
HIKAM comprises Persatuan Wadah Pencerdasan Umat Malaysia (WADAH), Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia (IKRAM), Pertubuhan Lepasan Institusi Pendidikan Malaysia (HALUAN) and Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM).
Meanwhile, Daie MADANI said in a separate statement today that the memorandum submitted by the NGOs signified support for all efforts to strengthen TH through governance that is founded on integrity, transparency and accountability.
Daie MADANI also expressed its support for the TH administration led by its chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain, to ensure that depositors' funds are managed with the highest standards of trust and honesty.
According to Daie MADANI, such efforts would also help restore public confidence in an institution that has made significant contributions to the Muslim community in Malaysia.
"We call on the TH management to implement the remaining 25 per cent of the recovery recommendations contained in the RCI report, expose those responsible for tarnishing the image of Islam without fear or favour, and ensure that this dark chapter for the Muslim community is never repeated," the statement said.
-- BERNAMA