POLITICAL VENDETTA BY NAJIB’S UMNO FOES? MACC GRILLS ANNUAR MUSA FOR 4 HOURS

PUTRAJAYA – Tan Sri Annuar Musa spent four hours at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as investigators questioned the suspended Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman over allegations of abuse of power and misappropriation of funds.

Annuar, who is also Ketereh MP, was all smiles when he emerged from the MACC headquarters at 1pm where a media scrum had waited for him since 8am.

I came here as I felt dutybound and I gave assistance, to the best of my abilities, to the MACC.

“Whatever they had to ask, I answered them. So it’s now up to them if they find a case or not,” said Annuar.

He said the questions revolved around Kelantan Football Association (Kafa) spending.

When asked if he could be called up again by the MACC, Annuar, who was former Kafa chairman, said it was possible and he was ready to cooperate.

“I am ready anytime, if they need to question me further,” he said.

The Umno information chief, however, said there was no rush to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the Umno president, over his party position.

“This has got nothing to do with the PM or the party. This is my case with the MACC, so let me manage this myself,” he said.

He also said the case would not affect his bid for the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) presidency, as it is still at the investigation stage.

“There are several criteria that disqualify you from contesting the FAM presidency, including bankruptcy. Being investigated by MACC, however, is not one of them,” he added.

Mara announced the immediate suspension of Annuar as chairman of Mara and its subsidiary Pelaburan Mara Bhd (PMB) on Tuesday.

The unanimous decision was made at a special meeting of the Mara Council.

Council member Datuk Dr Yusof Yakob, who chaired the meeting, said Annuar’s temporary removal would remain in effect pending the findings of an internal audit.

The MACC also announced that it would call Annuar to record his statement.

On Tuesday, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he was informed that the Mara Council held a special meeting to pave the way for an internal audit into the Kafa sponsorship as well as other issues that have been going viral on social media.

– ANN