Naim: Tabung Haji's rebranding process transparent and accountable

KUALA LUMPUR: Lembaga Tabung Haji‘s (TH) appointment of a consortium for its rebranding exercise was carried out through a stringent direct negotiation process, said Datuk Mohd Naim Mokhtar.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) said that the consulting firms, each with distinct expertise, were selected to address specific needs, restructure strategies, and provide a fresh direction for the institution, particularly to tackle the issue of low savings among depositors.

“Direct negotiation is a permitted procurement method under certain circumstances, especially for strategic services requiring specialised expertise, such as strategic consulting, surveys, market research, and other services that cannot be sourced through the usual tender process, with the aim of safeguarding the interests of TH’s depositors.

“This selection process was conducted under strict governance, which included a comprehensive assessment of technical and commercial expertise, price negotiations, and approvals by the Tender Committee and subsequently the Board of Directors, to ensure transparency, accountability, and the best value for the organisation,” he said during Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.

He was responding to Datuk Dr Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN-Pengkalan Chepa), who asked whether TH continues to adopt direct negotiation for procurement.

Naim said that TH had received approval from the Finance Ministry in 2012 to be exempted from the government procurement process, with full authority for appointments vested in its Board of Directors.

As the minister responsible for Tabung Haji, Naim said he placed full trust in TH’s leadership, particularly its chairman Tan Sri Rashid Hussain, a proven corporate figure with strong execution capabilities.

“I find the explanation regarding TH’s direct negotiations with the appointed company to be reasonable and justifiable,” he said.

He also assured that the appointed company was not involved in TH’s core policies or decision-making, as strategies and final decisions rest solely with TH’s leadership.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

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