KUALA LUMPUR: The government wants the issue over the purchase of property by Mara Incorporated Sdn Bhd in Melbourne, Australia to be thoroughly investigated.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said on its part, the government would give its full cooperation.
“We want the matter to be investigated and determined by the authorities. This is to ensure that there are no doubts in the investigation and its outcome,” Najib, who is also Umno president, said after chairing a meeting of the party’s supreme council at Menara Dato Onn here yesterday.
Australian newspaper ‘The Age’ recently reported that a top Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) officer, senior official and former politician had allegedly spent millions in government funds to buy an apartment block in Melbourne in a property scam.
The newspaper also claimed that a group of ‘super-rich Malaysian officials’ overpaid by A$4.75 million (RM13.8 million) for an apartment block in the city in 2013.
Meanwhile, Mara chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa yesterday handed over several documents related to the purchase of the said Melbourne building by its subsidiary Mara Inc,, to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC).
The papers were submitted to the commission’s director of investigations Datuk Mohd Jamidan Abdullah, to assist in the probe into the alleged scam.
“We have asked that this matter be given priority and urgency, and we have informed that Mara would give its full cooperation to MACC,” Annuar said, adding that Mara would appoint auditors from outside the country to assist in the ongoing internal auditing, besides the investigation by MACC.
Asked whether Mara had identified the mastermind behind the case, he only responded: “More or less.”
Asked on action to be taken against those involved in the alleged scam, Annuar said it would depend on the jurisdiction of Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
However, he said the matter would be discussed during the Mara Council meeting on July 1.
On his statement relating to the approval for the property purchase in Melbourne which had been twisted by some media, Annuar said Najib did not, on May 10, approve the purchase.
“Mara and the ministry then appealed to the National Economic Council for the matter to be discussed as it involved an overseas loan and (the council) approved only 30 per cent in Mara funds to be used for the purchase. The remainder was borrowed from a foreign bank.”
Meanwhile, Mohd Jamidan in a statement yesterday said he had sent his officers to Melbourne to obtain documents and information which could assist in the investigation.
“The MACC has called a number of individuals and more will be called in relation to the issue for their statements to be recorded. In this regard, anyone with information and evidence on the case can also channel information to the MACC,” he said, adding that the probe was being conducted under SPRM Act 2009.
Earlier, Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa (Perkasa) through its Youth chief, Irwan Fahmi Ideris, also lodged a report with MACC for a thorough investigation on the case in the interest of Mara, which it said had contributed a lot to the Bumiputras. — Bernama