Azeez Rahim posts RM450,000 bail but remains in custody

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 9, 2026 — The former chairman of Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH), Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, remains in police custody even though the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court allowed him bail of RM450,000 after he was charged with abuse of position involving a TH investment worth RM193.5 million.

The bail does not allow the former Baling member of Parliament to be released immediately because he is also subject to a separate two-day remand order in an unrelated police investigation.

The remand relates to an investigation into alleged fraud involving TH dividend payments and is scheduled to end on Thursday, Sept. 10, unless an extension is sought and approved by the court.

Two cases, two separate processes

The situation involving Abdul Azeez concerns two separate legal processes that are proceeding at the same time.

In the first case, Abdul Azeez pleaded not guilty before Judge Azura Alwi to a charge of using his position while serving as TH chairman to obtain a benefit connected to an investment in Putrajaya Perdana Berhad.

He is accused of directing TH’s chief executive at the time, Tan Sri Ismee Ismail, to propose his name as TH’s representative on the board of the company.

The position allegedly carried annual remuneration of RM690,000, along with the use of a BMW 7 Series and a driver.

Abdul Azeez is also accused of using his position to influence the TH board of directors to approve an investment of up to RM193.5 million in Putrajaya Perdana Berhad, a company in which the charge says he had an interest.

The alleged offence took place during a TH board meeting at the Tabung Haji building on Jalan Tun Razak on Aug. 25, 2014.

The charge was brought under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.

The court later allowed Abdul Azeez bail of RM450,000 with two Malaysian sureties.

He was also ordered to report to the MACC office in Kuala Lumpur once every three months until the case is concluded.

Still remanded in dividend investigation

Although bail arrangements for the charge have been completed, Abdul Azeez cannot yet leave custody because another remand order remains in force.

In a separate investigation, he and two former senior TH officials were remanded for two days to assist police investigations into alleged fraud involving dividend payments.

The two individuals are a former group chief executive officer of TH and a former group chief financial officer of TH.

The remand order was issued by Judge Mohamad Afiq Zuber, sitting as a magistrate, while the investigation is being conducted under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

The lawyer representing them, Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, argued that no further remand was necessary because the Royal Commission of Inquiry report on TH, which forms part of the basis of the investigation, had already been completed, while the investigation papers had also been submitted to the Attorney General’s Chambers.

Why is Azeez still in custody?

The RM450,000 bail imposed by the Sessions Court applies only to the abuse-of-position charge involving the RM193.5 million investment.

It does not cancel or replace the remand order obtained by police in the dividend investigation.

As a result, even though the bail conditions in one case have been settled, Abdul Azeez must remain in custody until the remand period for the separate investigation expires.

If police do not seek an extension, or if such an application is not approved by the court, Abdul Azeez is expected to be released after his remand ends on Thursday.

Investigation follows RCI report

The latest developments come after the Royal Commission of Inquiry report into the management and operations of TH was made public on July 29.

The report examined, among other matters, past investment and management decisions involving TH and recommended that forensic audits be carried out on several transactions and investments that raised questions.

Putrajaya Perdana was among the investments that came under scrutiny in the review of TH’s investment decisions.

On Aug. 26, Abdul Azeez and former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah were also detained by the MACC to assist investigations before being remanded for seven days from Aug. 27 to Sept. 2.

For the charge Abdul Azeez now faces under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009, a conviction carries a prison term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification involved in the offence or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Abdul Azeez has pleaded not guilty to the charge, and the case will proceed through the court process.