PAS Should Debate Tabung Haji RCI Before China-Taiwan, Says Danish Hairudin

KUALA LUMPUR: PAS should focus on debating the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) in Parliament instead of being overly eager to lecture Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the China-Taiwan conflict and Malaysia’s foreign policy, says PKR’s youth wing.

AMK Information Chief Danish Hairudin said PAS should pay greater attention to issues directly affecting the interests of Muslims, particularly following revelations contained in the RCI report.

“PAS today is so eager to lecture the Prime Minister about the China-Taiwan conflict and how Malaysia should manage its foreign policy.

“My suggestion is that PAS should not go too far. Before debating Taiwan, PAS should debate Tabung Haji first,” he said in a statement today.

Danish was responding to PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, who had expressed concern over Anwar’s remarks on the China-Taiwan conflict, particularly his reference to the possibility of military force being used to address the dispute.

Danish said PAS should instead focus on questions surrounding alleged political interference and considerations that may have influenced several key decisions at TH, including those involving hibah, haj payments and Haj Financial Assistance.

He said the RCI revelations should not be taken lightly as they concern the governance of an institution directly linked to the interests of millions of Malaysian Muslims.

“More seriously, the report also touches on several suspicious investments, including investments that suffered losses of up to 100 per cent,” he said.

Danish also highlighted an issue involving RM22.12 million in Yayasan Tabung Haji funds, which he said was among the matters investigated by the RCI.

He said questions over how investment decisions were made, who was responsible and the extent to which political considerations influenced TH’s decisions must be given serious attention.

“These issues are far closer to the daily concerns of Muslims than the geopolitical debate over Beijing and Taipei that PAS is trying to highlight.

“Before PAS wants to portray itself as a geopolitical expert and lecture the government on Beijing and Taipei, it should first debate the issues closer to the interests of Muslims.

“Debate TH, debate how decisions were made, debate political interference, suspicious investments and the RM22.12 million involving Yayasan Tabung Haji,” he said.

Danish acknowledged that foreign policy was an important matter, but said it should not be used as a reason to overlook domestic issues involving public trust, accountability and the interests of millions of Muslims.

“If PAS truly wants to champion the voice of Muslims, the TH issue cannot be sidelined.

“Do not go too far talking about Taiwan while issues concerning TH, which are much closer to the interests of Muslims, remain undebated,” he said.