Why pass the buck on Mara property scandal to other agencies, DAP asks police

DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua asks if it was ‘normal practice’ for the police to ‘abdicate’ its responsibilities to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Scandal (MACC), as demonstrated in the recent controversy surrounding Mara's property investment in Australia. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Kamal Ariffin, July 1, 2015.

DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua today asked if it was "normal practice" for the police to "abdicate" its responsibilities to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Scandal (MACC), as demonstrated in the recent controversy surrounding Mara's property investment in Australia.

In a statement today, Pua asked if it was normal for the cops to pass on the buck to other agencies, and criticised them for taking such a "relaxed attitude" on the matter.

"Malaysians are now left to wonder, given the clear significance of the case where millions of ringgit may have been siphoned from a key government agency like Mara, is it a normal practice for the Royal Malaysian Police to just abdicate their responsibility to another agency?" Pua asked.

Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar had said that the police will wait for the MACC to let them know if there are any elements of Criminal Breach of Trust (CBT) in the case. Yesterday, he said this did not mean the police were not investigating the matter.

Previously, the police said it would offer its help to the Australian authorities if requested.

"Malaysians cannot figure out why is the IGP can take such a relaxed attitude towards such sizeable crime and corruption taking place within our government institutions," Pua said.

Malaysian police have been criticised for their slow reaction in the face of the Mara scandal, while the Australian police were quick to take action within two days by conducting raids.

Mara allegedly purchased several commercial properties in Melbourne way above market rates, with one of them allegedly to allow for kickbacks for some senior Mara officials.

All the purchases were made in 2013.

Australian newspaper The Age first exposed the purchase of The International House property, but local watchdog National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) had since alleged that Mara also overpaid for two other properties in Melbourne around the same time.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has defended the purchases, claiming that they had "followed procedures."

"Clearly in this case, there is a prima facie case of Mara top officials “dishonestly appropriates the money” when they were entrusted to invest funds allocated to Mara by the Government," Pua said.

- TMI