KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has instructed that a draft amendment to the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) Act 1996 be submitted within three months, signalling urgency in strengthening governance within bumiputra institutions.
Anwar said there was no need for prolonged delays in drafting the law, even as Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had earlier directed that it be completed by the end of the year.
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“Submit the draft to me within three months. I do not think we need to wait for experts for six, seven or eight months - what for?” he said.
Anwar said this in his keynote address at the Mara 60th anniversary celebration at the World Trade Centre here on Sunday (May 3).
He added that bumiputra agencies must go beyond championing community interests and take a firmer stance on governance.
“We want these agencies not only to be at the forefront in voicing bumiputra interests, but to be more assertive in providing clear direction on good governance,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said he had set a deadline for the revised law to be finalised by year-end and tabled in the next parliamentary sitting before any dissolution.
“I have given a timeframe until the end of this year for the Mara Act to be prepared and tabled in the next parliamentary sitting before Parliament is dissolved,” he said earlier in his speech.
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He said the legislation would serve as an overarching framework to strengthen governance through tighter organisational management, given Mara’s role as a trustee of public funds.
“This must be carried out thoroughly to ensure there is no more leakage or mismanagement of funds allocated by the government, which involve substantial assets,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid also stressed the importance of safeguarding public trust.
“We must never unravel the trust given by the government, because this is a responsibility that must be upheld. It is a trust from the people of Malaysia as a whole,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mara chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki confirmed the agency was in the final phase of reviewing the Act, focusing on embedding stronger governance foundations.
“We are now in the final phase of reviewing the Mars Act, which is crucial for us to amend and lay a solid foundation so that even as leaders come and go, the core principles of governance remain intact,” he said.
He added that strengthening governance and management systems was key to preventing misconduct and financial leakages, and formed a central pillar of Mara’s transformation plan.
Last month, Asyraf said the draft amendments to the Mara Act 1996 were targeted to be tabled in Parliament as early as June, as part of efforts to ensure the agency’s legal framework remains relevant to modern governance needs.
