Ketereh MP Annuar Musa, who chairs the scandal-hit Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) council, said he would abide by any decision to appoint him the new Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

This was his response to reporters in Kuala Lumpur last night, when asked about speculation that he is among those being considered for the post.

To a question on whether he is prepared to accept the post if appointed, he curtly replied, “As an MP, I will abide by any order from the Parliament.”

However, Annuar declined to comment on the talk about his appointment, saying the appointment is the sole prerogative of Parliament and its selection committee.

The PAC chairperson’s post was left vacant since the cabinet reshuffle last month, in which the incumbent Nur Jazlan Mohamed ( photo ) was appointed as a deputy minister and had to relinquish his PAC post.

The announcement came just a week before the PAC was due to question current and former 1MDB chief executives over the 1MDB scandal.

The PAC proceedings has been suspended since the cabinet reshuffle until a new PAC chief is made by Parliament after its next sitting begins on Oct 19.

Scandal of his own

Annuar is currently dealing with his own scandal over Mara's controversial property deals in Australia.

This came after Australian newspapers exposed that Mara’s investment arm Mara Inc had supposedly overpaid for its purchase of Dudley International House in Melbourne, and the excess was allegedly laundered as kickbacks to Malaysian officials.

Mara Inc’s three other property investments in the Australian city have also fallen under suspicion.

The transaction for these four properties supposedly took place in 2012 and 2013 when Idris Jusoh was Mara Council chairperson.

The purchases would have required the approval of the Mara council and the National Economic Council, which were chaired by Idris and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak respectively at the time.

Nevertheless, Pandan MP Mohd Rafizi Ramli has accused Annuar of inaction for doing nothing, despite having visited the properties and received a briefing about the investments in May last year

Annuar has denied this, claiming that he raised the issue in a June 2014 council meeting and has been monitoring it since.

Related Reports

No reprieve as ringgit breaches 4.24

Najib slammed for 'bastardised' statement

Ex-Umno Youth head: We must be 'ultra-rakyat'

TI-M: Will AG be deciding what 'not' to probe?

Najib risks being guilty of Anwar's 'crime'

Will Dr M be a bigger hit in Pasir Gudang?

Scandal-hit Mara man open to chairing PAC

Would you believe Zahid’s story on RM2.6b?

More tall tales from Umno leaders

Prayer walks now popular with churches