World
Ex-Minister Freed After Week-Long Detention in Tabung Haji Probe
A former Cabinet minister in his 60s has been released on bail by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after being held for seven days in connection with investigations tied to the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Lembaga Tabung Haji.
MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman confirmed the release, which took place after the man's remand period expired. He had initially been remanded for five days, a period later extended by two additional days. The former minister was detained on September 1 after voluntarily appearing at MACC headquarters in Putrajaya to give his statement.
His release follows the detention of other prominent figures linked to Tabung Haji as part of the same probe, including a politician who previously chaired the pilgrimage fund and a former Treasury secretary-general, both of whom were also remanded for seven days.
The RCI was set up to scrutinize Tabung Haji's management and operations, focusing on its financial standing, governance practices and investment choices. Completed four years ago, the report was made public on July 29 and included 25 major recommendations to strengthen transparency, professionalism and governance at the institution. Its findings have been forwarded to relevant authorities for further action.
In a separate case, the chairman of a housing committee under a federal statutory body in Johor was detained over allegations of soliciting and accepting bribes, as well as abusing his position related to applications for government housing lots. The suspect, in his 40s, turned himself in at the Johor MACC office on Monday to record his statement.
According to sources, the alleged offenses occurred between 2016 and 2025, with the suspect reportedly demanding around RM4,000 from each of 400 housing lot applicants, totaling approximately RM1.6 million. The funds are believed to have been diverted for personal use through withdrawals from the committee's bank account using falsified invoices.
Johor MACC director Datuk Hairuzam Mohmad Amin@Hamim stated that the case is being investigated under Sections 16(a)(A), 18 and 23 of the MACC Act 2009, adding that the suspect would be released on MACC bail once his statement had been recorded.