KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Majlis Amanah Rakyat Inc (MARA Inc) should sell its properties in Melbourne and use the money to disburse more student loans for Malay students pursuing their studies abroad, Perkasa’s Datuk Ibrahim Ali said today.
Explaining his suggestion, the Malay rights group chief said he has received numerous complaints from Malay medical students in the Middle East who may have to discontinue their studies due to lack of funds.
“These medical students have six years to study, it will be a waste if they stop halfway due to lack of money. I suggest the government, MARA to help them,” Ibrahim said.
“MARA should reopen their policies to help these students, and if they claim to have no money, they can sell their Melbourne’s properties and use that money to help these students to continue their education.”
MARA and its property investment body, MARA Inc, have been under fire over its Melbourne buys since Australian daily The Age exposed links between top MARA officials and certain businessmen connected to the ruling Barisan Nasional on the purchase of a student housing block in the Australian city.
According to the Australian daily’s exposé last June, MARA Inc had allegedly overpaid A$4.75 million (RM13.8 million) for Dudley House, with the sum purportedly used as a form of kickbacks.
National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) also reported that aside from the Dudley house, Dudley House, which MARA Inc reportedly bought for RM67.2 million, the firm also bought three other properties — 746 Swanston Street for RM138.6 million, 333 Exhibition Street for RM99.2 million and 51 Queens Street for RM70.4 million.
The total sum paid for all four properties was RM375.4 million, the oversight body revealed.
