PAC to summon MARA next month to explain land purchases

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will summon the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) next month to explain its land purchases overseas particularly the deals in Australia.

The Australian authorities are currently investigating MARA’s land purchases in the country.

“PAC plans to call MARA the last week of August and official letter will be sent out by PAC secretary next week,” PAC chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said today.

PAC to date, has not named any individual to explain the purchases.

Australian newspaper, The Age, reported that a top MARA officer, senior official and former politician had allegedly spent millions in government funds to buy an apartment block in Melbourne in a property scam.

It alleged that "a group of extremely rich Malaysian officials" had overpaid by A$4.75 million (RM13.8 million) for the apartment block in the city in 2013.

The trio had allegedly "overbid" for the building, called Dudley International House, from A$17.8 million to A$22.5 million (RM65.3 million), with the difference pocketed as bribes back home.

Dudley International House is a student hostel, bought by MARA, which provides scholarships to Malaysians studying overseas.

The five-storey building located in suburban East Caulfield currently accommodates 115 MARA students studying at Monash University.

Following the report, MARA temporarily suspended MARA Inc. chairman and CEO to facilitate investigation linked to the controversial MARA property purchase in Melbourne, Australia.

They are chairman Datuk Mohamad Llan Allani and CEO Datuk Abd Halim A.Rahim.