Mara chairperson Annuar Musa today denied involvement in the controversial Melbourne real estate deal because he became chairperson after the decisions were made.

Annuar, who is also an Umno Supreme Council member, said the purchase was discussed in 2012 and approved by the Mara council on Feb 21, 2013.

"I was appointed as Mara chairperson in late 2013. I was not the Mara chairperson then (when the decision to buy was made) and was not involved in the matter," he said in a statement.

Annuar said that despite this, he pledged to investigate the controversial purchase of Dudley International House in Australia.

The Ketereh MP said this in response to pressure from opposition parties DAP and PAS for him to resign.

Checks revealed that Annuar's predecessor is Second Education Minister Idris Jusoh.

Malaysiakini has contacted Idris and is awaiting his response on the matter.

The Age newspaper, an Australian publication, alleged recently that Mara officers had overpaid A$4.75 million (RM13.7 million) in the purchase of the property for use by Malaysian students in Australia.

The excess A$4.75 million (RM13.7 million) was then laundered out of Australia and was allegedly paid as bribes in Malaysia.

The newspaper today also reported that Australian policeconducted raids in Melbourne over the real estate purchases linked to Malaysian politicians.

'Mara council failed the country'

Earlier, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has urged all Mara council members to collectively resign over the dubious transaction.

The Gelang Patah MP is also urging for faster pro-active action by the Mara council.

He is demanding that the council convene an emergency meeting over the Mara Incorporated Sdn Bhd property purchase.

"Maybe the Mara council should even collectively submit (their) resignation as all the members must realise that they had failed Mara and the country in allowing such property scams as exposed by The Agetwo days ago.

"They should also collectively resign if they cannot explain why they agreed to the establishment of offshore companies in tax havens to buy properties overseas, as if engaged in dubious and dishonourable transactions," the veteran DAP leader said in his statement.

He said the query on the tax haven set-up does not require seven days to answer.

Lim said Annuar had previously said Mara has given Mara Inc seven days to give a detailed explanation on all matters pertaining to the various property deals in Australia.