KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 14): Former religious affairs minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom vows to clear his name through the courts after being charged with three counts of misappropriating nearly RM861 million in Lembaga Tabung Haji funds.
The former army general said this to reporters after his son posted bail of RM300,000 on Monday.
“God willing, the court would give me the best opportunity to seek justice,” he said.
The former Jerai member of parliament also had to surrender his passport.
WATCH: Jamil Khir vows to clear name
Jamil, who was accompanied by lawyer Datuk Hamidi Md Noh, said the case was related to Tabung Haji's lease of hotels in Makkah and Madinah.
“With regards to accommodation (for pilgrims), I took the approach for us to lock the hotels for a long period in order to get a return. The lock (in prices) for hotel accommodation is to reduce the haj costs. However, I am charged today and this would require me to defend myself during trial,” he said, adding, reporters should wait for the outcome of the trial.
Earlier this month, Jamil Khir was remanded for almost a week to assist Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigations stemming from a Royal Commission of Inquiry report on the troubled pilgrims funds.
He is charged with three counts of diverting about RM861 million in Tabung Haji funds to Al Rawda Real Estate Development and Projects Management Co between April 3, 2015 to Aug 17, 2017.
Jamil Khir is the latest to be prosecuted over Tabung Haji's financial troubles.
Last week, former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim was charged with corruption for allegedly using the post to get the chairmanship of a company.
A former chief operations officer was scheduled to be charged on Sept 3, but proceedings had to be deferred due to his hospitalisation.
However, two former executives of Tabung Haji property units were charged that day for allegedly pocketing RM72,000 in contractor penalties.