From Moaz Nair
The opposition’s decision to boycott the parliamentary discussion on the Tabung Haji (TH) royal commission of inquiry (RCI) report was an unwise move when viewed through the lens of political posturing and public accountability.
The opposition coalition’s excuse for boycotting the special session – protesting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s absence and arguing that the presentation was a toothless “ministerial briefing” designed for pre-election political mileage – cannot be accepted.
Surprisingly, this weak justification was shared by the PAS supreme leader, despite full knowledge that TH belongs to the Muslim community (ummah).
From the perspective of governance, public interest and civil society, the boycott faced heavy criticism from analysts and cross-party lawmakers alike. Political analysts said the walkout caused the opposition to abdicate its duty to scrutinise a critical 211-page report detailing significant historical management failures and RM12.6 billion in losses.
But while the majority of the opposition walked out of the parliamentary debate, those who stayed behind to debate the RCI deserve commendation. Kudos to independent MPs like Muar’s Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who argued that Parliament is not a “one-man show” centred around the prime minister. He said that walking out neglected the interests of over 10 million TH depositors who rely on elected officials to protect their funds.
Critics pointed out that religious affairs minister Zulkifli Hasan was fully equipped and present to answer questions within his portfolio, making the prime minister’s absence an insubstantial reason to bypass the debate.
Ultimately, while the boycott generated headlines highlighting opposition dissatisfaction with parliamentary procedures, it cost them an official platform to actively cross-examine the government on a matter of immense public and financial interest.
Far from defending Umno, a few opposition leaders are actively using the RCI findings to attack them. They insist that Umno take full responsibility for the lapses that occurred during its leadership, saying that “integrity is not a slogan to be used selectively” while calling on the authorities to prosecute those involved without favouritism.
A stain on Umno’s image
Like it or not, the public perception is that the TH scandal has significantly tarnished Umno’s image, as the financial and administrative mismanagement highlighted in the RCI report occurred primarily during the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration.
As reported, former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin publicly stated that Umno must acknowledge its past governance failures instead of acting defensively. He argued that a refusal to take accountability damages the party’s attempts to rebrand itself as reformed.
Because TH is a sacred institution meant to help Malaysian Muslims save for the haj pilgrimage, lapses in its governance strike at the core of Umno’s self-proclaimed identity as the primary defender of Malay-Muslim interests.
Prominent Umno leaders were political appointees directly at the helm of the institution during the highly criticised 2014–2018 period. Critics have also heavily weaponised the RCI findings to paint Umno as a party prone to systemic corruption and institutional abuse, grouping TH alongside the catastrophic 1MDB scandal.
The scandal has exposed a clear rift within Umno on how to handle the political fallout. A few Umno leaders pointed out that the 211-page RCI report highlights “management and administrative failures” rather than direct evidence of Umno politicians stealing (sakau) funds. They argue that the blame belongs to administrative staff, not the political party itself.
Pivoting to damage control
A few rational Umno leaders have pivoted to damage control. Recognising the threat to its remaining political credibility, members of the top Umno leadership have shifted towards total transparency to distance the present party from past actions. They have repeatedly asserted that Umno/BN will not compromise, protect or shield any individuals implicated in the RCI report.
Instead, they are now demanding that criminal action and forensic audits be pursued against the actual culprits to decouple the party’s institutional name from the personal misdeeds of past executives.
Ultimately, the impact on Umno’s image is multifaceted, characterised by external criticism and defensive internal manoeuvring.
All MPs, regardless of political affiliation, should stop posturing and unite to condemn the institutional leaders who failed in their fiduciary duties. This institution belongs to the Malaysian people, not politicians. They should denounce the multi-layered conspiracy within TH, where elites betrayed the decades-long savings and sacred trust of ordinary, low-income citizens hoping to perform their pilgrimage.
The parliamentary session on the RCI cannot be conveniently branded as a “Hollywood act” or political theatre. In fact, the opposition’s boycott of the RCI discussion is a severe disservice to TH depositors.
The public cannot be blamed if they use the TH scandal as political leverage against Umno, framing the issue as proof of the party’s historic governance failures. While Umno is fighting hard to frame the TH crisis as a localised “management failure” rather than institutionalised political plunder, the controversy remains a severe stain on the party’s foundational pillar as a trusted custodian of Muslim wealth and welfare.
Moaz Nair is an FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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