(July 6): National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) today alleged that several Umno Youth members and those close to them had been involved in a property deal in Australia by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) which was "over-stated" by RM63 millon.

NOW director Rafizi Ramli today produced documents and alleged that five individuals were involved in signing off the property purchase though they had nothing to do with Mara at the time of the purchase.

Mara Inc had declared the purchase price for 746 Swanston Street at RM138.6 million, but based on data from a property listing site, they apparently paid only RM75 million for 281 units at the property, with the rest of the RM63 million approved by Mara unaccounted for.

Rafizi also alleged that Thrushcross Land Holdings Limited, the offshore company in British Virgin Island which Mara used for the purchase, was only registered in January 2013, meaning the company was not in existence when the transaction was first completed in August 2012.

Instead, it was two out of the five individuals who signed off the purchase, but Rafizi alleged that he had information that three other individuals, including two in the Umno Youth leadership circle, were "pulling the strings from the shadows".

Rafizi demanded that Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin explain the role of the individuals in the deal, and also called for investigations against them.

"Investigations and action must be taken against these individuals behind the shadows, who are acting as individuals who arrange or broker these deals that had caused losses to Mara," he said.

Rafizi also said he had information that these individuals "benefited" from the whole transaction, and thus said it was incumbent upon Khairy to explain the matter.

"He needs to explain how these individuals were involved in this deal," he said.

Mara, a trust for the advancement of Malays in various fields, has been in the limelight over property purchases in Melbourne, after Australian newspaper The Age revealed last month that top government officials linked to the agency had overpaid for an apartment block and pocketed the difference in bribes.

This led to further exposes by Rafizi on other properties purchased that were allegedly bought at inflated prices. – The Malaysian Insider