Following suspension, MACC confirms probe against Annuar

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating allegations of graft and abuse of power involving Umno information chief Annuar Musa, with regard to his positions in Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara).

The commission said it would cooperate with Mara’s internal audit department.

“We would like to stress that our investigations are only focused on issues of graft and abuse of power in relation to his involvement in sponsoring the Kelantan football team.

“Investigations into mismanagement will be conducted by an internal audit team from Mara,” said the commission in a statement this evening.

The commission also urged all quarters to refrain from speculating on the matter, and to provide MACC with space to conduct the probe.

This morning, news reports stated that an emergency board meeting had decided to suspend Annuar as Mara chairperson and head of Pelaburan Mara Bhd (PMB) with immediate effect.

The suspension is reportedly to facilitate investigations into allegations that PMB and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), which is a Mara subsidiary, sponsored the Kelantan football team, that Annuar is linked to.

This allegation was first raised by Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim on Jan 12.

Tunku Ismail also revealed several documents detailing the said transactions and questioned if the sponsorship was the reason why UniKL was forced to reduce scholarships for its students by RM700 million last year.

Annuar, who is a former Kelantan Football Association (Kafa) president, has denied the allegations.

Meanwhile, Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said Annuar’s position as information chief was up to the party president following his suspension as Mara chairperson.

“His suspension is in a government agency. It does not involve his post in Umno, it is up to the president," Tengku Adnan was quoted as saying by Bernama.

The Federal Territories minister added that the suspension was an investigation procedure and it had yet to be proven if Annuar had committed a wrongdoing.- Mkini