MAJLIS Amanah Rakyat (Mara) will remain under the Rural Development Ministry, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

He gave this assurance at a national Bumiputera economy congress, amid concerns Pakatan Harapan will carve up the government agency to assist and develop Malays economically.

Dr Mahathir said Mara would remain under its parent ministry even though some of its roles and functions were by right within the purview of other ministries.

The prime minister said the decision to keep Mara under the ministry was due to strong objections from various quarter against its being moved.

“Mara will be under one ministry now. It will be under the Ministry of Rural Development,” he told the delegates.

“I hope this ministry will be able to carry out its duties toward Mara and carry this heavy burden with success.

Dr Mahathir said his government was ready to provide whatever assistance and aid the ministry needed to ensure the success of Mara.

“I promise to fully back this ministry. If you want additional staff, international support, we will provide.

“We want Mara to be successful,” he said.

He added that Mara was special for the Malays and that it had helped to advance the race in many areas.

Dr Mahathir said Mara was educating almost 200,000 Malay students.

“Mara is involved in many areas… and of course, in some investments it shouldn’t be as well,” he said drily, referring to Mara’s questionable property investments under the previous Barisan Nasional government.

Dr Mahathir was responding to a question from a delegate on the future of Mara, and if it would be headed by a professional instead of a political appointee.

The prime minister did not say which type would be heading Mara.

Last month, Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali told reporters in Parliament that Mara would be placed under his ministry and the management, including the board of directors, and its business portfolio, reshuffled.

“Mara will be under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and there will not be any further question of Mara being broken up or mixed up with several ministries,” he had said.–  September 1, 2018.