Mara dismisses Annuar’s claims

KUALA LUMPUR: The Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) board has dismissed Tan Sri Annuar Musa’s claim that he was suspended as the group’s chairman over his support for the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).

Mara interim chairman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob yesterday said the suspension was to give way to investigations to take place regarding allegations of sponsorship for Kelantan’s The Red Warriors football team.

Yusof said the suspension was not in relation to Annuar’s stand on UEC, but to secure public confidence in Mara’s corporate governance.

“Annuar has been informed not to issue any statements until the probe by the Mara internal audit committee is completed.

“Also, his involvement or support of UEC is in no way related to Mara’s decision to suspend him, but clearly due to sponsorship issues for The Red Warriors.

“I hope all parties, including Tan Sri Annuar, understand this fact without distorting it,” he said.

Following the claims by Annuar, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz came forward to say that he, too, was a staunch supporter of UEC, yet no drastic action had been taken against him.

“I want to know, who discriminated against him (Annuar)? Was it the cabinet?” he said outside the Dewan Rakyat this week.

Fellow Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob rubbished the claims, adding that Annuar’s suspension stemmed from the controversial use of Mara subsidies and sponsorship of the Kelantan football team.

Annuar was suspended as Mara chairman with immediate effect on Jan 31, after documents of sponsorship by Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Pelaburan Mara Bhd (PMB) for the Kelantan football team were exposed by Tunku Mahkota of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is examining Annuar over claims that he coerced PMB and UniKL to sponsor the Kelantan football team for RM700,000.

He has since maintained that Mara did not sponsor the Kelantan team, and that UniKL was a private firm, which made its own decisions.

Annuar yesterday denied the report by a Chinese daily claiming that he was fired over his support for the UEC.

“That’s not what I said. The content was fine but the heading said I was fired. I was suspended to allow investigations to proceed.

“However, I don’t deny that my stand on UEC has created disputes among some individuals in Mara. It’s an open secret,” he said at the Parliament lobby.

He reiterated his support for UEC, saying the government should consider recognising the certificate.

Annuar said there were several quarters that opposed UEC without basis, and that any differences on the issue should be brought to the discussion table.

“UEC and Chinese independent schools are not unconstitutional. They are not against the Education Act,” he said.