Should Sidek Hassan return his 1MDB allowances?

Question

Accepted Answer

Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan is advised to return his 1MDB allowances due to religious and moral obligations.

Penang Mufti Datuk Seri Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor has suggested that the allowances received by former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan for his role as a 1MDB board member were "haram," meaning forbidden in Islam. This religious perspective is based on the Islamic principle that prohibits receiving wages that do not commensurate with the labour performed. Legal group ProGuam has also stated that Mohd Sidek has a moral obligation to return these funds.
Religious Prohibition Against Unearned Wages

Datuk Seri Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor articulated that Islamic teachings forbid individuals from accepting wages that are disproportionate to the work undertaken. Citing a principle attributed to the Prophet, he stated that any excess received beyond the agreed-upon wage for a hired task is considered "haram." This prohibition is considered more severe when the funds originate from public coffers, as is the case with 1MDB.
Financial Details of Mohd Sidek's 1MDB Tenure

Mohd Sidek Hassan served as a board member of 1MDB from July 1, 2010, to June 23, 2012, during which he reportedly received an allowance of RM30,000 per month. His tenure was subsequently extended to June 2015, although his monthly allowance was reduced to RM10,000. Mohd Sidek himself testified that he was appointed to the board by Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who allegedly felt his existing salary was insufficient, leading to this additional remuneration.
Recommendation for Repayment and Public Benefit

In light of the "haram" nature of the allowances, the Penang Mufti advised Mohd Sidek to return the money. If direct reimbursement to the government is not feasible, an alternative suggested was to channel these funds into public benefit programs. Such initiatives could include aid for the poor or contributions through the court system, aiming to repurpose the funds for societal good.
Moral Obligation to Return Allowances

Beyond the religious perspective, the legal group ProGuam, through its president Noorazmir Zakaria, has asserted that Mohd Sidek Hassan is morally obligated to return the allowances received from 1MDB. While acknowledging that a legal obligation may not be explicitly defined, ProGuam emphasized that returning the funds would be the responsible and ethical course of action from a moral standpoint.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

Should Sidek Hassan return his 1MDB allowances?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends