UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has denied having any involvement in the decision by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) to extend hotel lease agreements in Madinah and Makkah with Al-Rawda while he was Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) in 2017.
The Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) chairman said a deputy minister did not have the authority to participate in or approve TH’s administrative and operational matters, including agreements involving the institution.
His clarification came after a photograph circulated on Threads on Thursday showing him alongside then-TH chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and several other individuals at a ceremony marking the signing of a 10-year extension to hotel leases in Madinah and Makkah between TH and Al-Rawda.
Asyraf explained that he had been appointed Malaysia’s Head of Hajj Pilgrims in 2017 to represent the minister. As he happened to be in Makkah at the time, he was invited to attend the ceremony on behalf of the minister.
He rejected suggestions that his presence at the event meant he had played a role in approving the agreement, saying the photograph was being used to create an impression that linked him directly to the Tabung Haji matter.
According to Asyraf, TH’s administration and operations fall under the authority of its chief executive officer and management team. The chairman and board of directors, meanwhile, serve as a check and balance by determining policies and approving key matters before recommendations are submitted to the minister for a final decision.
He stressed that a deputy minister does not have direct authority over an institution’s operations or policy decisions, even when acting on behalf of the minister.
Asyraf said the division of powers is also provided for under the Federal Constitution, which sets out the respective roles and authority of ministers, deputy ministers, parliamentary secretaries and political secretaries.
He further pointed out that he had never been called for questioning by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI), police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) or Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN) in relation to the matter.
Asyraf maintained that this was because he neither held the authority nor had any direct or indirect involvement in the decision-making process surrounding the agreement.
He also stressed that the Tabung Haji RCI report did not name or implicate him in his capacity as deputy minister.
His remarks come amid renewed public attention on issues surrounding Tabung Haji, with calls for any individuals found to have committed wrongdoing to be held accountable.
