KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) has urged the authorities to act firmly and swiftly on all police reports and complaints concerning the institution’s management and operations between 2014 and 2020.
According to the RCI report released tonight, TH’s management initiated an internal investigation in mid-2018 before lodging four police reports – two on November 30, 2018, one on December 13, 2018, and another on January 16, 2019.
The first police report, lodged on November 30, 2018, by former TH company secretary, Idrus Ismail, concerned allegations relating to the organisation of activities and the use of funds by Yayasan Tabung Haji that were believed to be in breach of the foundation’s Memorandum and Articles of Association.
“The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) conducted an investigation into the case and referred the investigation papers to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) for consideration and instructions from the Public Prosecutor,” the RCI said.
The second report, lodged on the same day, related to TH’s sale of its equity stake in PT TH Indo Plantations (THIP) to PT Borneo Pacific.
The action was taken after the complainant suspected there had been misrepresentation and concealment of information in relation to the sale of a 95 per cent stake in THIP to the company in 2012 for an estimated USD910 million.
RCI said investigations into the case had taken time as they involved cross-border inquiries, including the process of obtaining documents and recording witness statements in Indonesia with the consent of the Indonesian authorities.
Meanwhile, the third police report, lodged on December 13, 2018, by former Trurich secretary, Aliatun Mahmud, concerned Trurich’s acquisition of shares in three Indonesian companies to own forest land in North Kalimantan, as well as two Indonesian companies to own oil palm plantations in Central Kalimantan.
“It was alleged that land suitability reports had been manipulated, misleading Trurich into acquiring oil palm plantations worth about USD58 million between 2008 and 2009,” the report said.
According to the RCI, investigations into the case also require the cooperation of the Indonesian authorities to obtain documents and witness statements to complete the investigation.
The fourth police report, lodged by Idrus Ismail on January 16, 2019, concerned the declaration or distribution of TH’s hibah (profit distribution) for the financial year ended 2017, which was alleged to be in breach of Section 22 of the Tabung Haji Act 1995 (Act 535).
“The report also alleged that there had been misrepresentation in two working papers presented at TH’s Special Board of Directors meeting on Feb 6 and 9, 2018.
“It is understood that the misrepresentation was made to enable TH to declare a higher hibah rate to depositors,” the RCI said.
It explained that the issue of the legality of, and TH’s ability to, declare the hibah for the financial year ended 2017 was specifically examined in its report, as it involved compliance with accounting principles, good governance practices and TH’s actual financial position.
It also said that the PDRM had completed its investigation into the hibah-related report and referred the investigation papers to the AGC for consideration and instructions from the Public Prosecutor.
In addition, the RCI found that several reports had also been lodged with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), including allegations of corruption in TH Plantations’ (a subsidiary of TH) acquisition of Weida Bhd plantations, allegations of misappropriation and abuse of power in the leasing of the Opah restaurant at KL Sentral, and the falsification of documents relating to the supply of rubber seedlings for TH Plantations at the TH-Usia Jatimas estate in Sandakan, Sabah. – BERNAMA
