ON the surface, the decree by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia yesterday (Aug 8) for the Tabung Haji (TH) Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) probe to be carried out “to the wormhole” may be viewed politically as a warming shot against the recent backstabbing and betrayal by the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
But the bottom line is non-Muslims should refrain from weaponising the hajj fund affair against Islam or against the Malay-Muslim community, according to International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) don Dr Phar Kim Beng.
“Corruption has no religion. Fraud has no ethnicity. Abuse of power doesn’t become acceptable merely because those involved speak in the language of faith, nationalism or communal protection,” justified the professor of ASEAN Studies.
Every religious tradition represented in Malaysia warns against greed, deception and the exploitation of the vulnerable.
Islam condemns the breach of amanah or entrusted responsibility. Christianity warns against serving both God and money. Buddhism teaches that greed is one of the roots of suffering.
Hindu teachings emphasise righteousness, restraint and responsible conduct. Sikhism rejects dishonest enrichment and insists upon truthful living.
In a recent letter to editor that appeared on mainstream The Star, Phar who is also the Institute of International and ASEAN Studies (IINTAS) director contended that “the TH affair should therefore unite Malaysians rather than divide them”.
It should remind Muslims that religious institutions cannot be protected through silence. Genuine defence of Islam means insisting that institutions operating in its name meet the highest standards of honesty,” opined the political scientist with a PhD in Political Science and International Studies from Japan’s Meiji University.
It should remind non-Muslims that the weakening of any major national institution ultimately affects everyone. Financial instability, political patronage and institutional impunity do not remain confined within communal boundaries.
They damage investor confidence, public finances, administrative credibility and Malaysia’s reputation as a whole.
Phar went on to clear the air that checks and balances are therefore not “Western decorations that can be suspended whenever powerful personalities find them inconvenient”.
“They’re essential safeguards against the weaknesses found in every human being,” stressed Phar who is a first-degree product from IIUM.
No minister should possess such overwhelming authority that boards and senior managers become beholden to political favour. No board should be able to approve questionable transactions without rigorous scrutiny.
No management team should be permitted to conceal financial realities through creative accounting. No auditor should be intimidated into silence. – Aug 9, 2026
Editor’s Note: The government will ensure that every recommendation and finding in the RCI report on Lembaga Tabung Haji is investigated thoroughly and without compromise in line with the Agong’a decree.
“I humbly thank His Majesty for granting me an audience to brief him on several important developments concerning the country’s interests and the well-being of the people,” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim penned on his Facebook page.
“His Majesty’s order for a thorough investigation into the RCI report reflects the Madani government’s commitment to ensuring that every recommendation and finding is fully investigated without compromise.”
PMX added that TH manages a trust built from the hard-earned savings of millions of Malaysians, including farmers, civil servants and middle- and lower-income earners who have spent years saving to perform the haj pilgrimage.
Main image credit: Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar/Facebook
