KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today criticised media outlets that categorised him as being responsible for a controversial Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) property purchase approved by the National Economic Council.

Following a press conference by MARA chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa explaining the apartment purchase in Australia that is now at the centre of a corruption controversy, several news portals published reports attributing the decision personally to Najib.

“I am disappointed that Tan Sri Annuar Musa’s statement has been twisted by some media. The decision was only made through consensus by the Economic Council,” Najib wrote in a Facebook post today.

Earlier, Annuar similarly questioned the decision by the news outlets to categorise Najib as the arbiter of Mara’s purchase of a Melbourne apartment for allegedly inflated prices, after he said the decision was made by the council chaired by the prime minister.

“What is the motive of TV Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insider to choose the title ‘Najib approved...’ when I clearly explained that approval came from the Economic Council?” he wrote in a social media post shared by minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

“It is a procedure set by the government that must be followed... the issue of personal approval by any individual including PM Datuk Seri Najib does not arise. I hope this makes it clear,” Annuar continued.

Today, Najib said that the Australian property purchase will be investigated by the authorities.

“If any party is found to have cheated or tried to fool members of the Economic Council with inaccurate or incomplete details, legal action will be taken against those responsible,” the prime minister added.

In a damning news report published yesterday, Australian news outlet The Age incriminated top MARA Inc officials and two “elite” Malay businessmen to the questionable purchase of a Melbourne property said to be inflated by A$4.75 million (RM13.7 million).

According to the Australian daily, an eight month-long investigation by Fairfax Media, its parent publishing house, revealed that this group of “super-rich Malaysian officials” had spent government investment funds to push up the price of the student housing block that was built for A$17.8 million but inflated by A$4.75 million to A$22.5 million.

The sale of Dudley House in Melbourne raised questions during a liquidation proceeding in the Victorian Supreme Court, which prompted the Australian media to initiate its own investigation.

Annuar today said MARA thought it was getting a bargain at the price, and maintained that the purchase followed “stringent” procedures.

He also said the purchase had been independently audited and that there was “no way” to know if the price had been artificially inflated.