(Aug 12): Tan Sri Annuar Musa has been reappointed as the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman, Ministry of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri announced today.

His contract ended on July 17. He took over the post from Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh since July 19, 2013.

Ismail in a statement today also announced the appointment of Padang Besar MP Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin as Risda chairman, effective September 1.

Ismail said both appointments received the approval of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"I believe that with the appointments, Tan Sri Annuar and Datuk Zahidi will be able to steer Mara and Risda to achieve their objectives in line with the national transformation programme," he said.

Annuar's reappointment comes as Mara is embroiled in a scandal after an Australian-based newspaper The Age said one of its subsidiaries had been involved in corruption linked to its properties in Melbourne.

It reported the agency had purchased an apartment block, The Dudley International House in Melbourne at an inflated price, with the excess allegedly channeled back to Mara officials as kickbacks.

The paper reported Mara spent A$22.5 million (RM65 million) in public funds to purchase the apartment and was overpriced by A$4.75 million (RM13.7 million).

Annuar, 59, an Umno supreme council member since 2013 and Ketereh MP, holds a Bachelor in Management Development from the University College of London and a Bachelor in Town and Country Planning from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).

He used to serve as City Hall's Assistant Director of Town Planning, Director of Corporate Planning, Kelantan State Economic Development Corporation and also Chairman of Fama and Kedah's Agricultural Development Authority (Kada).

Annuar was also a former minister of youth and sports (1990-1993), minister of rural development (1993-1999) and chairman of the Kelantan Umno liaison (2004-2009).

Meanwhile, Zahidi, 54, is the MP for Padang Besar since 2013. He hold a Masters Degree in Political Science from Irish International University, a Masters in Business Administration from Northern California Global University and a Diploma in Public Administration from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

He was an assemblyman for Beseri (1999 - 2008), Political Secretary to Minister of Finance II (2003) and Political Secretary to Perlis Menteri Besar (1994). – The Malaysian Insider