HANDS FULL

PAC yet to probe Mara officials over controversial investments

PETALING JAYA: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has its hands full and has yet to call up Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) officials over the agency’s controversial overseas investments.

PAC deputy chief Dr Tan Seng Giaw said the bipartisan parliamentary committee was busy with the allegations against 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

“One thing at a time,” he said when contacted by The Star.

The PAC had said that it would summon Mara officials after Australian daily The Age reported that several senior Malaysian officials had allegedly pocketed kickbacks gained from inflating the price of properties Mara bought in Australia.

One building, Dudley House in Melbourne, was allegedly overpriced by A$4.75mil (RM13.8mil) when it was bought two years ago.

Separate investigations are being conducted by the Australian Federal Police and the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission.

Two top Mara Inc officials, chairman Datuk Mohammad Lan Allani and CEO Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Rahim, have been temporarily relieved of their duties to facilitate the investigations.

Mara Inc is the investment arm of Mara which was formed to aid, train and guide bumiputras in the areas of business and industry.

Mara chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa on Thursday announced the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers to audit all of Mara Inc’s overseas investments.

National Oversight and Whistleblowers, a nonprofit organisation, alleged this week that Mara Inc overpaid by a total of A$19.1mil (RM66.2mil) for three properties in Melbourne.