By Mohd Khairi Idham Amran
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- Depositors of Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) described the disclosure of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) Report as an important and brave step by the government to restore integrity, governance, and public confidence in the institution.
Bank executive, Anis Atifah Che Rawi, 39, who has been a depositor since the age of 25, welcomed the disclosure as it allows depositors to understand the real situation and ensures that arising issues can be addressed fairly and transparently.
"This report is important to understand what is really happening. As a TH depositor, I hope this issue can be addressed transparently and fairly so that the public's confidence in TH remains intact," she said to Bernama.
Commenting on the government's assurance regarding the safety of depositors' savings under the Tabung Haji Act 1995, she said the measure provides peace of mind to contributors while demonstrating the government's ongoing commitment to protecting the interests of Muslims.
Anis Atifah also supports continuous legal action against any party found to have committed misconduct and hopes that TH's management will continue to be strengthened with more transparency in the future.
"I agree with the actions taken. If there is any misconduct, the matter needs to be investigated according to the law. What is important is that TH's management needs to be continuously strengthened so that depositors' confidence can be maintained," she said.
The same view was shared by Pertubuhan Mesra Pengguna Malaysia (PMPM) deputy president Azlin Othman, 49, who considered the RCI disclosure as an important turning point to cleanse the institution's management.
Azlin, who has been a TH depositor for 31 years, said she felt relieved because the truth about the previous governance weaknesses has finally been revealed openly and is no longer being covered up.
"I was disappointed and shocked when I read about how badly TH was managed before. But I am also relieved because finally the truth has come out, not hidden anymore," she said.
Azlin said that strict enforcement actions against those suspected of misconduct are appropriate measures and hopes that the cleaning and improvement of TH's governance will be carried out without any political interference.
Meanwhile, a solid waste disposal contract worker who only wanted to be known as Raja Mustaffa, 40, said the RCI's transparent disclosure allows the real problems to be identified and corrected for the future of the institution.
The single father to two daughters said the full government guarantee under the TH Act provides strong assurance that depositors' savings remain safe.
"Honestly, I felt disappointed when I found out that the savings of Muslims were managed with such weaknesses.
"But I am now relieved because finally this issue has been opened transparently. At least we know the real problem and can fix it, instead of just covering it up," he said.
Raja Mustaffa also praised the asset recovery and restructuring measures taken to ensure that TH's investment management is more transparent, professional, and monitored by an independent body to prevent past mistakes from recurring.
-- BERNAMA