Ex-religious affairs minister pleads not guilty to Tabung Haji fund charges

KUALA LUMPUR — Former minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Religious Affairs Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom entered a not guilty plea to charges involving the diversion of substantial Tabung Haji funds into overseas property ventures. The former senior government official was accused of facilitating the channelling of approximately RM860 million from Malaysia's pilgrimage savings institution into Saudi Arabian real estate projects. The case marks a significant development in ongoing investigations into the management and allocation of Tabung Haji's substantial financial resources. Tabung Haji, the national pilgrimage fund manager, has long been a focal point of public scrutiny regarding its investment decisions and fund management practices. The charges against Jamil Khir represent part of broader efforts by authorities to examine high-level decisions affecting one of Malaysia's most important institutional funds, which manages savings for millions of Malaysian Muslims planning to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage.