PETALING JAYA, Feb 1 — Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) has in recent years hogged the limelight.

Here are some notable episodes:

Purchase of Aussie property above market price

In 2015, an Australian daily reported MARA’s investment arm, MARA Inc, bought a five-storey apartment block at Dudley International House in Melbourne above the market price. The report claimed a group of "very rich Malaysian officers” had overpaid A$4.75 million (RM13.8 million) for the apartment block in 2013.

MARA Inc chairman Datuk Mohammad Lan Allani and chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Halim Rahim were suspended following a probe into controversial property purchases abroad including in the UK and Australia. Earlier this month, MARA announced one of the four properties under its investment arm was sold to settle debts with two Australian banks.

MARA digital mall

In 2015, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob mooted the idea of setting up an all-bumiputra MARA digital mall following a violent brawl at the popular Low Yat Plaza a year earlier. The idea drew criticism as the move would only deepen racial tension.

UEC drama

On January 21, MARA chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the Unified Examinations Certificate (UEC) was recognised by Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) as an entry qualification. He said although UniKL was under MARA, it was actually a private higher learning institution which had received approval from the Higher Education Ministry to accept applications from UEC holders. A day later, Ismail said UniKL did not recognise UEC as it was not in line with the national education philosophy which required a pass in Bahasa Melayu and History for students to further their studies at government institutions of higher learning.

The UEC is a standardised examination for Chinese independent high school students by Dong Zong, the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia, since 1975.