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Annuar, the former Kelantan Football Association (Kafa) president, is also Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) pro-chancellor.
PKR Youth, PPBM Youth and Amanah Youth issued separate statements on the matter today following Johor Crown Prince (TMJ) Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim’s claim on his Facebook page that a “Tan Sri” — apparently alluding to Annuar — had forced Mara and its entities to sponsor the Red Warriors.
TMJ also attached photographs of documents showing a RM500,000 sponsorship by (UniKL) and an additional RM200,000 by Pelaburan Mara.
PKR Youth’s student bureau chairman Fahmi Zainol claimed Mara had made several budget cuts since 2015 and questioned whether this was because it was now sponsoring the Red Warriors.
“Not only has Mara closed applications for loans since 2015, sponsorship and loans given abroad have also been cut.
“Allowances and money for students under Mara’s care are also often paid late,” he said in his statement.
“PKR Youth is convinced that Mara’s poor performance correlates with Tan Sri Annuar Musa’s actions in sponsoring the Kelantan football team with money from Mara.”
Amanah Youth vice-chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithinin echoed Fahmi’s sentiments, saying the Red Warriors’ financial struggle was no excuse to “rob” money from any agency, what more agencies established to help Bumiputeras’ education.
“Annuar must come forward and explain how the RM700,000 helped Bumiputeras, failing which he must return the money,” he said in his statement.
Meanwhile, PPBM Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman also requested that Annuar explain the allegations.
Annuar will be launching the football team’s new jersey tomorrow.
Annuar told Malay Mail Online he will not respond to TMJ’s demand for him to explain why Mara was made to sponsor the Kelantan football team.
He said he did not have any disagreements with the Johor royal family member and did not want to be involved in a personal exchange with Tunku Ismail.
“I’m not interested in talking. I don’t want to have anything personal with him.
“I don’t owe an explanation to him. If I were to answer, he would be embarrassed again like the pen drive issue; I don’t want to embarrass him again.”
Tunku Ismail had given the authorities a pen drive last year which he claimed contained evidence of corruption in the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigated the case but found no elements of corruption.
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