Opposition Walks Out of Tabung Haji RCI Report Debate

Opposition parties, including Parti Wawasan Negara and the Malaysian Islamic Party, staged a walkout from a special Dewan Rakyat sitting on August 11, 2026. The members refused to participate in the debate regarding the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on the pilgrims' fund, Lembaga Tabung Haji, citing the absence of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Hamzah Zainudin, president of Parti Wawasan Negara, led the walkout, arguing that the session was a mere ministerial briefing without the possibility of a vote. He questioned the government's urgency in debating a report submitted three years ago and challenged the Prime Minister to identify evidence supporting claims that billions of ringgit were siphoned from the fund.

The opposition had previously called for a postponement through Perikatan Nasional Chief Whip Takiyuddin Hassan, who argued that the Prime Minister should personally table the report to ensure accountability. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was absent from the proceedings while recovering from elective laparoscopic surgery for an abdominal hernia.

Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Hasan was scheduled to table the declassified report, which identifies serious governance and financial management weaknesses within Tabung Haji between 2014 and 2020. The report recommends forensic audits and a reduction in political interference. Finance Minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan was designated to assist in winding up the debate.