Tabung Haji's TRX land now valued higher: Najib

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has fired back at critics who politicised Lembaga Tabung Haji's (TH) purchase of a plot of land in the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) last year.
He pointed that the 1.6 acre (0.64ha) land, which was bought by TH at RM1,800 per sq foot, is now valued at RM2,200 per sq foot.
"When TH bought the TRX land, it was made into an issue. But today when I asked TH chief executive officer (Datuk Johan Abdullah) about the value of the land, he said someone has offered RM2,200 per sq foot, meaning there is profit.
"The problem is that it (the land purchase) is being politicised by certain quarters," he said during the launch of the TH Foundation launching ceremony, here, today.
However, check by theSun on previous reports regarding the purchase found that the land was bought at RM2,774 per sq foot.
Najib added that TH has continuously maintained and protected future hajj pilgrims' savings, and that as a government, it would continue to support the pilgrimage fund in any ways.
He pointed that TH has also managed to maintain the cost for each hajj pilgrims at RM9,980 since 2009, despite the rising cost of other goods and services.
"That's how good TH is. Everyone who performs the hajj receives close to RM8,000 of subsidy. Meaning if you pay RM9,980, the subsidy is almost the same.
"Where else in the world can you get such an offer. So thank god (alhamdulillah), TH manages to do it," he added.
Later at a press conference, Johan said TH had decided not to sell the TRX land as it believes the investment would provide better return in the long run.
"From the beginning of our purchase, we view this as commercial procedure. We have evaluated and in a business perspective, we want to invest. And all our investments are long terms, not short terms," he said.
Johan also declined to comment on allegations made by PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli that TH Heavy Engineering Berhad (THHE) faces risk of a RM554 million loss.
He said it was best that THHE itself made any statement regarding the issue, adding that the company would update on the matter in the near future.