Annuar: I had no idea about meeting that suspended me

PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Annuar Musa said he was in the dark over a special meeting which suspended him from his posts as chairman of Mara and its subsidiary Pelaburan Mara Bhd (PMB).

“I had no idea about this meeting and I was also not informed of the issues surrounding my suspension.

“I was also never asked to explain myself before the Mara council or the minister in charge,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

Earlier, Mara (Majlis Amanah Rakyat) council member Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob said Annuar was suspended and asked to go on leave while an internal audit is conducted into allegations over the sponsorship of the Kelantan Football Association (Kafa) by two Mara subsidiaries.

However, according to Annuar, who is in New Zealand on official Mara duty, the meeting was initially scheduled to be held on Feb 14.

He said he was planning to discuss with the board the issues involving him.

“But it looks like the minister has given his consent to have the meeting earlier without my presence.

“As a civil servant, I accept any decision with an open heart and will take full responsibility. I will hold on to the principles of integrity and trust,” he said.

Annuar also said that following the suspension, he will cancel his remaining programmes in New Zealand before returning to Malaysia on Thursday.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri, whose ministry oversees Mara, could not be reached for comment.