The three top Tabung Haji officials directly involved with debt-laden 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) should not only resign, but must be brought to court over the recent controversial land deal, said Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin.

"If what has been widely spread is true, it is extremely distressing.

"For those who are involved, it is not enough for them to resign, but instead they should be brought to court of justice," said the outspoken mufti on Facebook today.

"We must hold a trial to restore the rights of the ordinary people," he added.

He was responding to a photograph of the trio spread on the internet titled 'Not one, but three!" in relation to news that 1MDB had sold a plot of land to Tabung Haji at 37 times its original price.

The trio , Tabung Haji group managing director and CEO Ismee Ismail, investment panel member Abdul Samad Alias and deputy group managing director and deputy CEO Johan Abdullah, are all office holders in 1MDB.

It was revealed this week the pilgrimage fund had bought a plot of Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) land from 1MDB at RM188.5 million (roughly RM2,779 per square foot) to be developed as a residential building.

It was later revealed 1MDB, which has been in the centre of controversy over its financial situation, had originally acquired the land from the government for RM74.2 per square foot.

'Bringing shame on Muslims'

Asri said the religious community cannot remain silent over the controversy as it is their responsibility.

"Tabung Haji is a symbol of the Muslim economy. What has happened can truly bring shame to Muslims in this country," he said.

He expressed gratitude to leaders who had voiced their concerns and hoped a transparent investigation would be conducted to bring whoever had betrayed the people's trust to justice.

Meanwhile, the PAS ulama wing today urged that a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) be set up to put the issue to rest.

Ulama wing information chief Khairuddin Aman Razali said the people cannot accept the “real estate investment” excuse for the land purchase as there are too many questions surrounding 1MDB’s RM42 million debts, and even the alleged conflict of interest of some personnel in both Tabung Haji and 1MDB.

“In the end, it is not only the opposition who protested the action. Umno Youth and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin also agree that Najib and the government should explain it fully to the people.

“At this rate, even if Najib wants to answer - even if he answers it honestly and transparently - I don’t think he could silence the factions which had complained about him, and many other things might be exposed in the future,” he said in a statement today.

In the face of the outcry this week, Tabung Haji today explained that Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also 1MDB advisory board chairperson, had advised the fund to sell the property off to interested buyers.

Tabung Haji chairperson Abdul Azeez Rahim also disclaimed the trio's conflict of interest saying Ismee had abstained from meetings involving the transaction.