Malaysia’s Anwar slams ‘political drama’ after opposition walks out of Tabung Haji debate

Opposition lawmakers had asked for the special session on the pilgrimage savings fund to be postponed until the prime minister’s return

Tabung Haji manages haj savings for Malaysian Muslims, making the inquiry into its governance, accounting practices and investment losses particularly sensitive in a Muslim-majority country where a pilgrimage to Mecca carries deep religious and political weight.

Anwar was absent from Tuesday’s sitting as he was recovering from an elective laparoscopic surgery for a para-umbilical hernia. The opposition had called for the inquiry to be postponed until the prime minister’s return.

“Do you want to debate me, or do you want to debate Tabung Haji? Do you want to know about me, or do you want to know about the betrayal of Tabung Haji?” Anwar asked.