MELAKA, March 6 — Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) has been urged to improve and strengthen its THiJARI application system from time to time to prevent hacking incidents and mitigate the risk of financial losses for depositors.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said this was to eliminate all vulnerabilities for data and information to be infiltrated by hackers, who are constantly evolving their tactics and leveraging diverse methods and platforms to deceive their targets.

"We will utilise every possible approach to safeguard depositors’ money; however, our efforts can only succeed if the community, particularly depositors, also exercises caution.

"So it is important for the public to exercise caution, particularly when receiving suspicious links, as these scammers or hackers target not only TH depositors but also online banking users,” he told reporters after officiating the National Baitulmal Convention 2024 here today.

He was commenting on a media report about a bilal of a mosque in Ulu Yam Bharu, Hulu Selangor, Selangor, who allegedly lost RM12,000 from his TH account in suspected unauthorised transactions.

Mohd Na’im said that in addition to initiating steps like freezing depositors’ accounts upon detecting suspicious transactions, TH will work closely with the police to investigate such cases to safeguard depositors’ funds.

He also advised the public to be vigilant of fraudulent activities involving the collection of zakat fitrah (personal tithe) by unauthorised amil (tithe collectors).

"The government has appointed specific amils to collect zakat fitrah on behalf of the state Islamic religious councils. Those who are not authorised to collect zakat fitrah should repent and abstain from such activities,” he said. — Bernama