MOF to begin talks on returning assets to TH

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will begin discussions on the handing back of Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) assets which were transferred to a special purpose vehicle (SPV) owned by the Finance Ministry (MOF) in 2018, says the Prime Minister.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Finance Minister, said this was decided after preliminary reports showed that TH was now well managed and that there was increasing confidence among depositors amid the new leadership’s efficient management of the national haj management institution.

“After studying developments and discussing with the (religious affairs) minister and TH board chairman Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, I have said from the beginning that once TH is properly managed, MOF will start discussions on the return of all assets held by the SPV.

“This will also disprove the utterly irresponsible slander hurled against the then finance minister (Lim Guan Eng) and former government for allegedly transferring them to a non-Islamic group.

“No, I have seen the records and they are still held by MOF, and I’m holding them in trust,” he said, BK reported.

He said this in his speech when launching TH’s 60th anniversary celebration at Menara TH here yesterday.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar was also present.

In 2019, then minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said the move to transfer the assets totalling RM19.9bil to the SPV had successfully “closed holes” due to the disparity between the assets and liabilities left by the previous administration.

Anwar said as long as he was given the mandate to manage the country, he would not compromise on any attempt to damage national agencies or state-owned companies by those out to make profits.

“That is why I don’t mind being criticised on this matter of (emphasising) governance. As long as I have the mandate, I will not compromise and will ensure that the country is managed properly to thwart attempts to damage these agencies by certain people seeking to fulfil their excess and greed.

“And I have given an assurance that once it is rectified, we will hand back all (assets) but the government cannot bear the losses due to this negligence. We can see in the case of TH that with good governance, it could recover quickly. Alhamdulillah, that is why I want to congratulate the TH management,” he said.