PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli today said he would continue to expose at least three other investments by Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) that are allegedly suffering from heavy losses.

In a statement, Rafizi also reiterated his call for TH chairperson Abdul Azeez Rahim to step down, if the Baling MP is adamant about not wanting the pilgrimage fund to be the centre of political attention.

“As an MP who often focuses on the financial standings of government institutions, it is my responsibility to continuously review TH’s major investments and finances.

“What more when TH chairman Azeez Abdul Rahim does not have a good record in explaining the pilgrimage fund’s controversial investments,” said the Pandan MP.

Rafizi was responding to Abdul Azeez’s latest statement as reported by Bernama , urging “irresponsible parties” to stop the slander against TH.

According to Bernama , Azeez said such attempts to “poison the minds of the people” and especially TH depositors, was a mere political ploy.

“If (they) want to attack me, then attack me politically but don’t attack me on Tabung Haji issues without any verification… please stop it,” Azeez was quoted as saying at a TH event with his constituents in Baling, Kedah.

Failure to provide figures

Commenting further, Rafizi said Azeez has so far repeatedly cried “slander” but failed to provide figures that could refute concerns raised on TH’s investments.

The first of such incidents, Rafizi said, was in the Dewan Rakyat on March 16 last year when he had first raised the potential risks if TH were to get involved with 1MDB.

“When I first raised this issue, Azeez’s reaction in the Dewan Rakyat was to shout “bohong” (lies) but it was only one month later he had to admit that TH had bought government land awarded to 1MDB at an inflated price,” he said.

Last week, Rafizi during a press conference at the National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) office, had alleged political interference over TH’s decision to retain its stake in Felda Global Ventures (FGV) despite on paper losses amounting to more than RM900 million.

In response, Tabung Haji however said that its shares in FGV are part of the fund’s long-term strategic investments.

It also reassured depositors that their savings had “not vanished” as alleged by certain quarters.