PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli today claimed the government overpaid RM11 million for a property it purchased in Perth, Australia.
He said the property - 'Malaysia Hall' - at 268, Newcastle Street, was purchased by the Higher Education Ministry from Miltech International on Dec 16, 2013.
Citing a parliamentary written reply from the Foreign Ministry to Rafizi's query about the government's real estate asset abroad, he said the property was purchased at A$10.271 million.
"It is 58 percent more expensive than the original price which was purchased by the company (Miltech International ) which sold it, at A$6.5 million on March 25, 2013.
"That means the company made a 58 percent profit in just nine months after buying the property," he said in a statement today.
He said that based on an exchange rate of RM2.8933 to an Australian dollar when the transaction took place, the Higher Education Ministry overpaid by about RM11 million.
Rafizi, who is also PKR secretary-general, said such overpayment is not acceptable especially at a time when the country is facing austerity measures.
He also claimed to be in possession of information about who have benefited from this transaction and urged the Higher Education Ministry to come clean on the matter.
Malaysiakini has contacted High Education Minister Idris Jusoh's communication team on the matter and is awaiting response.
On a separate matter, Rafizi urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to negotiate with Saudi Arabia to increase the country's haj quota.
This was after Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom said those who withdraw their deposits with Tabung Haji will need to wait until they are 70 years old for the pilgrimage.
"If the Saudi Arabia royal family can donate RM2.6 billion to him, I am confident that he is close to them and can obtain an increase in haj quota for Malaysia," Rafizi said.
He said Malaysia's haj quota had been at around 30,000 but has dropped to about 22,000 in recent years, adding that Najib should negotiate for a quota of 50,000.
