KOTA BHARU: The revelation of Tabung Haji's (TH) RM4.1 billion deficit was not meant to create panic, but to instill confidence that the government was not hiding anything.
Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Mahfuz Omar said the public must have confidence that the government was serious and transparent in saving TH before it gets worse.
The Pokok Sena MP said hiding the actual situation from investors could damage the country.
"This is because when we present the actual situation to investors, indirectly it gives them the confidence that we are transparent and not hiding anything," he said.
"I hope everyone will not panic because the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is conducting investigations against several individuals and this shows that serious action is being taken," Mahfuz said, assuring that the move being taken right now was part of operations to save TH and would not affect depositors.
Mahfuz said this after a programme at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Gajah, here, last night.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa at a press conference in the Parliament lobby yesterday said that hibah (dividend) issued to TH depositors since 2014 had gone against the Tabung Haji Act 1995.
“TH’s act of declaring hibah since 2014 was not in accordance with the Act, because its assets have been lower than its liabilities,” Mujahid had said.
Meanwhile, when asked about the rally last Saturday to give thanks for the government's decision to not sign the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), Mahfuz deemed it as a waste of time.
He remarked that this was because the rally had no direction considering the government had already decided not to sign the treaty.
"It is different with Bersih, we had a purpose, we wanted elections to be free and fair because we had no confidence in the Election Commission (EC) then.
"But to gather for something the government will not do is something without purpose, a waste of time and money. If you want to give thanks, all you have to do is 'sujud syukur', not hold a rally," he said.