Mara Corp probe: 14 witnesses questioned by MACC, 17 more to be called in

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigators probing allegations of mismanagement and power abuse at Mara Corporation Berhad have called 14 witnesses for their statements and will summon 17 more in the next few days.

Sources said investigators had busied themselves with the case, questioning witnesses since Tuesday (Feb 8).

Among those who were questioned were four board members of Mara Corp, seven management, two officers and a company secretary.

“Investigators are expected to record statements from 17 other individuals including the five names mentioned in the leaked document.

“The five have been summoned to come tomorrow (Feb 11),” a source told The Star on Thursday (Feb 10).

On Monday (Feb 7), MACC officers raided three locations at Jalan Mara, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Bukit Bintang as they began a probe into the case.

It is learnt that among documents seized were proposal papers and minutes of meetings of the board of directors and exco members, financial documents and payroll and documents from the human resources department.

Mara Corp, an investment holding company of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) came under the spotlight after internal administrative documents were leaked.

A letter was posted online, highlighting the alleged wrongdoings of five Mara officers and contained a list of “backdated” payments that they allegedly received.

The officials had filed police reports on Feb 6 denying any wrongdoing and claimed the complaints against them were a distraction from a board member’s wrongdoings.

It was reported that the letter was said to have been written at the request of Mara chairman Datuk Seri Azizah Mohd Dun for an integrity enquiry into officers who had been “loaned” to Mara Corp in a cross-fertilisation programme.