RCI: Reforms since 2018 put TH on firmer footing - Zulkifli

KUALA LUMPUR - The recovery and reform plan implemented by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) since 2018 has yielded positive results, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan.

He said the reforms were centred on nine key pillars, including restoring TH’s financial position, strengthening governance and accountability, improving investment quality and providing sustainable returns to depositors.

Zulkifli said the recovery plan also focused on ensuring continued affordability for Muslims to perform the haj, safeguarding the welfare and interests of depositors, achieving world-class service excellence, empowering professional leadership free from undue interference, and building a stronger, resilient and trusted Islamic institution for the long term.

"All these reforms have clearly strengthened TH’s sustainability today, with the restructuring of its assets and liabilities successfully restoring its financial position,” he said.

He said this during a ministerial briefing on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on TH and the efforts and measures taken to restore the institution’s financial position at a special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat today.

Zulkifli said the reforms had also ensured that Muslims continued to be able to perform the haj, with the cost of performing the pilgrimage maintained at RM33,300 for three consecutive seasons from 2024 to 2026.

He said the said the achievement was particularly significant as inflation had increased by 250 per cent from 2001, when financial assistance for the haj was introduced, to 2023.

"In addition, TH has managed to maintain the cost of the haj by limiting increases in air travel costs through long-term contracts, while also reducing the cost of renting new, higher-quality hotels through direct negotiations with building owners instead of third parties, despite rising inflation and the need to bear the costs of new services and facilities in the Holy Land,” he said.

He added that stronger governance had also directly improved the quality of services and haj management, with TH receiving the highest recognition, the Labaytum Diamond Award, for two consecutive years, making it the fifth consecutive Labaytum award received by the institution.

He said the achievement reflected a significant transformation in TH’s management, which is now driven by professional and capable leadership, enabling the institution to return to a stronger and more sustainable footing through the implementation of strategic plans, reforms and improved governance, without government interference. - BERNAMA