Protecting The Integrity of the Hajj Board

THE PUBLISHER is excited that the Hajj Board has issued an official statement to distant itself from one of its own, Zakariah Rahmah, currently under police investigations over fraud related charges.

That is the way to go.

Naming and shaming bad nuts in society and among groups, especially a highly respected one as the Hajj Board is certainly commendable.

For decades, the reputation of Hajj Boards, irrespective of which government formed them, have been spoilt by such reports of fraud, extortion and even sometimes bribery.

Yet, the perception out there has been that the Board often shields, defends and protects the culprits.

The end results of shielding such criminals has been best captured in the good old saying “one bad apple spoils the barrel.”

It is not uncommon to hear people pass rather unpleasant remarks about members of almost all successive Hajj Boards simply because of such perceptions of financial irregularities. Meanwhile it has never been the case that all members of the Board partook in such ills.

Yet, the negative image is smeared on them all, partly because of the culture of “hear no evil, see no evil and talk no evil”, they have adopted over the years.

THE PUBLISHER applauds the current Board for daring to be different and we urge members to continue to be bold to name and shame evil doers that hide under the cloak of Islam to misbehave in ways that rather tarnish the image of the peaceful religion.

What we are even more interested in, is the loud silence of members over the ongoing internal wrangling and seeming dictatorial machinations from certain quarters.

There are one too many reports of a lack of respect for corporate procedures and standard administrative practice among the current Board.

This is shameful.

It should not continue. Persons involved should be told in the face they are engaged in a macabre dance which could erode the successes and achievements of hard working Board members.

It is disturbing that Board meetings should end inconclusively and in rancor because someone was engaged in a heated but petty argument with the Secretary.

It is even more unacceptable for persons who have not been officially sworn-in as members of the Board to be sneaked in and given vital roles to play, especially when those roles are already been played by sworn-in Board members.

THE PUBLISHER has set up a new desk solely to keep an eye on the current Hajj Board. We believe the best we can do to help is to play our watch dog role. Yes, we are aggressive watch dogs and not some pampered lap dogs licking the feet of their masters.