THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has opened eight new investigation papers into investments by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) and its subsidiaries, including investments in Makkah (Mecca) and Madinah, as investigators widen their probe into issues highlighted in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report.
The overseas investigation includes TH's investment in hotels in Makkah and Madinah through Al-Rawda Real Estates Development and Project Management Co Ltd, which is understood to have resulted in losses of up to RM1.86 billion.
The investment has raised questions over substantial payments made without adequate bank guarantees, concerns over the due diligence process and whether sufficient safeguards were in place to protect depositors' interests.
MACC's investigation in Saudi Arabia will also cover a RM63 million property investment linked to the Al-Fareeda Residential Fund, which was reportedly unrecoverable.
Another sensitive investment under investigation is TH's 2014 acquisition of an interest in Putrajaya Perdana for about RM193.5 million, a transaction linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
The investment decision subsequently drew TH into dealings connected to 1MDB and eventually resulted in losses for the pilgrimage fund.
The other investments now under investigation involve plantation company Deru Semangat Sdn Bhd, ABRAJ Sdn Bhd, Tabung Haji Marine Sdn Bhd and Tabung Haji Hotel & Residence.
MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman said the eight issues were in addition to six investigation papers opened since the government disclosed the RCI report on TH late last month.
He said the scale of the investigation, particularly the volume of documentation and evidence that must be examined, had prompted MACC to consider increasing the number of investigating officers.
The commission was also considering appointing foreign forensic specialists to assist with the investigation, particularly where the cases involved foreign entities and complex documentation.
Abd Halim said discussions over the appointment of overseas forensic experts were still being held at the highest levels of MACC and would depend partly on the costs involved.
He said the move was being considered because the volume of documents related to the cases was substantial and required specialised expertise, as well as extensive scrutiny of each document and piece of evidence.
"We are still discussing this at headquarters, particularly at the highest level, to appoint foreign forensic experts to assist us in conducting forensic investigations into the documents and evidence obtained, in order to assist us with the investigation.
"The discussions are still ongoing, and of course this is subject to the costs involved because the entity to be appointed would be a foreign entity with specialised expertise, in addition to the investigating officers we already have," he said. - August 14, 2026
