SEREMBAN — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has defended the government’s decision to declassify the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH), saying the move was made following repeated calls for transparency.
Addressing criticism over the delay in releasing the report, Anwar stressed that he was not accusing any individual of wrongdoing, but insisted that any possible misconduct must be thoroughly investigated by the relevant authorities.
“Am I accusing anyone? No. I am saying that if anyone has committed wrongdoing, let the authorities investigate. That’s what they asked for. So don’t challenge me,” he said.
Priority was stabilising financial position
Anwar explained that the government had initially decided to delay the publication of the report to take into account TH’s financial condition and the need to restore public confidence in the institution.
“When I became prime minister in 2022, and after the briefing by RCI chairman Tun Md Raus Sharif in 2023, we had to decide whether to release the report. Tabung Haji asked us to hold off.
“We wanted to put TH back on the right track first. It had suffered huge losses and failed business ventures. If the report had been released before the institution was stabilised, depositors might have withdrawn their savings and TH could have collapsed.
“So we postponed it. But before we could act on the recommendations, some people challenged me, saying, ‘If you’re brave enough to accuse people of looting, expose it.’ I said, ‘Thank you, that’s exactly what I wanted,'” he said during the Grand Finale Kekal Harapan Negeri Sembilan ceramah for the Labu state seat last night.
Report set to be debated in Parliament
The Cabinet yesterday agreed to declassify and release the RCI report on TH, with the findings set to be tabled and debated during a special Dewan Rakyat sitting in the near future.
Anwar said the report should serve as a vital lesson in ensuring that TH—which plays a significant role for Malaysian Muslims performing the haj—continues to be managed with transparency and integrity.
While acknowledging that leaders may have shortcomings, he stressed that holding public office should never be used as a means for personal gain.
“Some people keep saying, ‘Anwar keeps talking about looting, but where’s the proof?’
“Well, read the 12-volume RCI report. The Cabinet has decided to release it. We have also instructed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the police, and Bank Negara Malaysia to investigate everything,” he added.
The release of the RCI report is expected to reignite discussions surrounding TH’s past financial management, while the government maintains that any findings of misconduct must be determined through due process and official investigations by the relevant agencies. — July 30, 2026