In a brief statement, MACC said it had opened an investigation paper to look into the allegations against Annuar, who was today suspended from his post by the Mara board over the matter of sponsorship of the Kelantan football team by two Mara subsidiaries.

“We will work with Mara’s internal auditors and focus on Annuar’s involvement in the sponsorship of the Kelantan football team.

“Mara’s auditors will investigate the alleged mismanagement.”

The anti-graft body went on to advise the public to refrain from making any speculation about the case and to allow them to investigate the matter accordingly.

Annuar, who is the former Kelantan Football Association president, was previously accused of using Pelaburan Mara Bhd (PMB) funds to sponsor the state football team, which plays in the Malaysia Super League (MSL).

The issue was first brought up by Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who had questioned Mara’s use of “public funds” to “save” the Kelantan football team from a financial crisis.

Tunku Ismail had said Annuar needed to explain PMB and Universiti Kuala Lumpur’s (UniKL) “forced sponsorship” of the football team.

UniKL is a private university owned by Mara.

Annuar, who is an Umno Supreme Council member, had denied using PMB and UniKL funds to sponsor the team.

Annuar stated that Mara had never sponsored the football team and that the placement of Mara’s 50th anniversary logo on the Kelantan football team jersey, valued at RM250,000, had been given free to Mara.

Annuar Musa resigned as Kelantan Football Association president in November last year. He is also shortlisted as one of four people vying for the post of Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president in the FAM congress and elections in March.