THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will charge a former chairman of Mara Incorporated Sdn Bhd this week with bribery over a property purchase scandal in Melbourne, Australia.

The politician is due to be brought before a judge at Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Friday.

MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki confirmed that the former chairman of Mara Inc was arrested at the anti-graft body’s headquarters at 11.30am today.

“The individual will be brought to the court this Friday and will face 22 graft charges,” he said, but declined to reveal the identity of the suspect.

Meanwhile, a MACC source said the charges are for offences committed under the MACC Act 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.

“The 65-year-old suspect had received a RM33.5million bribe from Mara Inc’s property sale in Australia,” the source told The Malaysian Insight.

The MACC has been investigating the Dudley International House purchase.

Azam said in October 2020 that the agency received the green light from the attorney-general to carry out prosecution.

“We have prepared the investigation paper, the deputy prosecutor is going through the case and, if approved, there will be people charged in court. There are about two to three people,” he had said.

In 2015, Mara’s investment wing was embroiled in controversy following revelation by Australian daily The Age newspaper, which alleged the wing had spent millions of ringgit to buy the five-storey apartment block in Melbourne at an inflated price.

The Sydney Morning Herald earlier this month reported Australian police seizing properties worth A$1.6 million (RM4.8 million) owned by a developer over an alleged scheme linked to a property transaction by Mara Inc.

The report said the Melbourne property market was used to funnel millions of dollars of funds from a Malaysian government entity to corrupt officials.

The properties and funds in bank accounts seized by police belonged to Australian property developer Dennis Teen, his wife and their private companies. – February 3, 2021.