KUALA LUMPUR — Perikatan Nasional (PN) Selangor secretary Dr Afif Bahardin has expressed regret over the decision by several PN MPs to walk out of the Dewan Rakyat during a special sitting to discuss the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on the management and operations of Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH).
In a statement posted on Facebook today, Afif said the walkout was particularly disappointing given that Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin was in the Cabinet when the decision to establish the RCI was made, while Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan was then Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department responsible for legal affairs and Parliament.
“If they previously agreed that an RCI was necessary to seek the truth, why are they leaving the Dewan today when the findings of the investigation are to be debated?” he asked.
Afif, who is also a Bersatu Supreme Leadership Council member, said he was proud of Bersatu MPs who chose to remain in the Dewan Rakyat and participate in the briefing, including party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“I am proud of the stance taken by Bersatu Members of Parliament led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, together with Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin, who chose to remain in the Dewan and take part in the debate on the Tabung Haji RCI,” he said.
He said Bersatu’s position was clear: any irregularities should be exposed, allegations of abuse of power investigated and those found to have betrayed depositors’ trust held accountable, regardless of their party or position.
“Tabung Haji does not belong to any party. It is the trust of the Muslim ummah,” he said.
The decision by PN MPs to walk out came after they learned that Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul would proceed with the special sitting despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s absence.
The move has drawn criticism from several quarters, with questions raised over the opposition’s decision not to remain in the House for the briefing and subsequent discussion.
However, Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan defended the decision, saying the opposition had chosen to leave because the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) was only delivering an explanatory statement.
He said it was also unusual for the RCI report to have been “downgraded” to a ministerial statement without a motion, vote or formal decision that could be made following the debate. — August 11, 2026