SUSPENDED Mara chairman Annuar Musa today told the internal inquiry committee that he is not involved in the “sponsorship” deal between Mara subsidiary entities – Mara Investment (PNB) and tertiary education institution Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) – and Kelantan Red Warrior, the state football team.

“I was not involved in the decision-making and never instructed them how they should spend their money on marketing and branding,” Annuar told a press conference at his office at Mara headquarters.

He said he spent more than an hour before the committee members, answering questions, including those pertaining to misapproriation of the education fund to sponsor the Kelantan football team.

He also explained to the committee members the meaning of “sponsorship” involving the football team.

“Some of the questions asked showed that they lack knowledge on the deal between the subsiadiaries and Red Warrior. So I explained to them,” he said.

Annuar said Red Warrior, since 2008, had a commercial package for companies to have the team as a medium for marketing and branding.

“It was not a sense of sponsorship that we all know but it was more of a business package deal to use the football team as marketing tool,” he said.

He said in the business dealing, PNB only paid RM200,000 for a package that was worth RM700,000.

“They only paid that much. It’s a huge discount,” said Annuar.

He nodded when a reporter asked if the Red Warrior was shortchanged.

“It’s a decision from the administrative side but I do not know who made the decision. But as in business deals, it’s based on a willing-buyer willing-seller basis,” he said.

The former president of the Kelantan FA said Mara had the best deal from the commercial package.

“I know it is not fair but we have to be supportive of the government body,” he said.

He added that the package had been going on for 10 years without problem and it was only brought up recently by Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.

“But no one dared to tell him that what he said was wrong,” said Annuar.

Annuar also said that he has no plan to sue Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.

“This is non-issue and I consider it polemic,” he said.

He added that he had nothing to hide and that was why he was speaking to the media.

“I’ve been waiting for a call from them (internal audit committee) to explain the issue. I am glad to have met them today after three months,” he said.

This is the first time Annuar met the inquiry committee members.

He is on full paid leave until further notice.

Annuar was asked to go on leave after Tunku Ismail accused him of using his position as Mara chairman to force PMB and UniKL to sponsor the Kelantan football team.

Annuar maintained that Mara did not sponsor the team and insisted that UniKL was a private firm that made its own decisions.

UniKL is wholly owned by Mara while PMB is the agency’s investment arm.

Despite Annuar’s denial, Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob ordered both Mara units to halt the sponsorships.

The Ketereh MP was president of the Kelantan Football Association until November last year and remains its adviser. – April 25, 2017.