.png)
LEBU – Former Tabung Haji (TH) chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim is prepared to be investigated again if necessary, following allegations of misconduct raised in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report.
He said the 204-page RCI report was actually completed at the end of 2022 and had been presented during several Cabinet meetings.
"I do not know why it was not released for three years and eight months... only the Prime Minister knows. The RCI report clearly stated that it could be made available to the public.
"If it is true that I committed wrongdoing, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would have sent me to prison back in 2018... I was detained for 14 nights, thoroughly investigated, including through a forensic audit," he said.
He was speaking while assisting the campaign of Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Pertang state seat, Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias, at Taman Simpang Pertang here on Thursday.
According to Abdul Azeez, then Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki had issued an official letter in 2021 stating that there was no abuse of power or misconduct.
The former Baling MP also said he had been called by police 11 times previously to assist with forensic investigations.
He questioned why the RCI report was released during the Negeri Sembilan state election period instead of earlier.
"Two weeks ago, I asked the police, and they told me this file had already been prepared to be archived and was only awaiting a no further action (NFA) order.
"So if they want to investigate again, go ahead. I will be the first to provide full cooperation. If I stole, I will bear the consequences. But do not keep repeating the word 'sakau' (misappropriation) for political interests," he said.
Explaining further, Abdul Azeez said he had previously appealed to Dr Mahathir, then Deputy Prime Minister Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and then Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa to establish an RCI to investigate the allegations.
He added that he also appealed to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when he became Prime Minister to do the same, but his request was not given attention.
"I wanted this matter to be resolved, but it was not done. However, thankfully when Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob became Prime Minister, he agreed to establish it.
"If Umno committed wrongdoing, if my minister stole, if I stole as TH chairman at the time, I would not have asked for an RCI to be formed. The people can judge," he said.
He further explained that as a non-executive chairman at the time, he did not have absolute authority to approve any transaction or investment independently.
He said every proposal had to go through the investment panel and risk management division before being brought to the board of directors meeting.
"I was not an executive chairman, I was only an ordinary chairman. The senior management was responsible for providing all explanations and detailed reports after reviewing risk management and the investment panel. The people need to understand this process," he said.
Meanwhile, Abdul Azeez urged the current administration not to dismiss the contributions and track record of Umno and BN, which had managed Tabung Haji since 1963.
"Current ministers should not try to please their boss (the Prime Minister) by claiming their era was the greatest. For 15 consecutive years, including seven years during my tenure, Tabung Haji was recognised as having the best hajj management system in the world.
"We successfully helped more than 1.4 million Malaysians perform the hajj through a welfare and healthcare system that had no equal. They are only strengthening and maintaining the foundations that already existed; they should not deny our previous contributions," he said.
He also urged Malaysians and depositors to read the RCI report themselves without being influenced by any party.
