KUALA LUMPUR: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa today dismissed PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli's criticism and allegation against the agency's subsidiary company, Mara Inc, saying they were made with ill-intention.
"We are not here to do monkey business. We are here to uphold the public trust. We must have high level of integrity," he said at the Mara headquarters today.
Annuar was asked about Rafizi's allegations that Mara Inc had overpaid about AUD9 million (RM27 million) for a Melbourne property purchase in 2013.
The Pandan MP had also claimed that apart from the controversial Dudley House apartment, Mara Inc also bought a property on 333 Exhibition Street for AUD31 million although its market value some six months prior to the purchase was only AUD22 million.
Annuar brushed aside the claims, saying that the purchase was done on a "willing buyer-willing seller" basis.
"How did we overpay? At the time, it was a willing buyer and a willing seller (arrangement). He (Rafizi) is making up the figure.
"When there was an allegation, we even allowed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate...
"But then again, what is the point of arguing with him (Rafizi) when he has an ulterior motive?" Annuar added.
Meanwhile, on his announcement yesterday that Mara Inc has sold one of four properties in Australia to settle its debts with two banks there, Annuar said the agency had made a profit in the transaction.
The property, a 12-storey office building at 51 Queen Street in Melbourne, which was bought in 2014 at AUD21 million (RM69 million) was sold recently at AUD23.4 million (RM76.75 million).
"At the moment, we have three properties (in Australia) worth about AUD80 million, which is almost RM300 million. Mara Inc no longer owe any Australian banks, just two local banks." he said.
Yesterday, the Umno Information chief said the sale of the asset was made through an open tender and managed by an international firm several months ago. The money from the sale was then used to pay off the debts at the two Australian banks.
To date, Mara owns three high-value properties in Australia including Mara 7-13 Dudley Street, Caulfield East, Melbourne; 333 Exhibition Street, Melbourne; and 746 Swanston Street, Carlton, Melbourne.
The issue of assets purchase by Mara Inc made headlines in 2015 after Australia’s The Age reported suspicious money flow surrounding the purchase of a unit of an apartment in Melbourne.