THE financial cost of addressing past losses at Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) must not be allowed to become a burden carried by future generations and taxpayers, Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman told the Dewan Rakyat today.
Speaking during the special sitting to debate the Tabung Haji Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report, Syed Saddiq said the key concern was not only the amount of losses recorded, but whether the responsibility of rescuing the pilgrimage fund would eventually be passed on to younger Malaysians.
He said financial support to stabilise TH could not be viewed as a solution if the underlying issues were not properly addressed.
“If there are losses and you continue paying high hibah, the money does not simply come from nowhere.
“We are transferring the burden from one generation to another,” he said.
Syed Saddiq said taxpayers and younger Malaysians today were effectively bearing the cost of more than RM10 billion in financial assistance provided to support TH’s recovery.
He also questioned whether the government would follow through with the recommended RM1.7 billion annual fiscal injection under TH’s recovery plan.
The Muda co-founder said resolving TH’s challenges required more than announcing measures, warning that failure to honour financial commitments would only push the problem further down the line.
“On paper, yes, you saved Tabung Haji. But if you do not fulfil that responsibility, you are merely transferring the problem from one generation to the next and from one government to another,” he said.
Syed Saddiq also called for amendments to the Tabung Haji Act to prevent political appointments and ensure the selection of the fund’s leadership was based on merit and transparency.
He urged the government to act on the RCI’s recommendations without considering political affiliations, saying accountability should apply regardless of who was involved.
“We need to have the courage to take action, regardless of whether they are our friends or opponents,” he said. – August 11, 2026
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