KUALA LUMPUR: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) is moving forward with bankruptcy proceedings against actress Rozita Che Wan, 51, known as Che Ta, and her eldest son, Ammar Effendy, 28, after they failed to repay a loan of nearly RM1 million since 2017.
The action comes after they failed to settle the debt within the seven-year period, despite numerous attempts by Mara to recover the money, including taking legal action.
The loan, amounting to RM960,000, was issued to Rozita's company, RCW Worldwide Sdn Bhd, with both Rozita and her son serving as guarantors.
Mara had initially issued a bankruptcy notice to Rozita and her son in July last year.
However, the notice was withdrawn the following month due to technical issues, and a writ of seizure and sale (WSS) of the actress's assets was subsequently filed last Tuesday.
Mara chairman Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki confirmed the development , saying that their legal division is handling the case.
"I have instructed Mara's legal division to proceed with bankruptcy action against the actress, as we have given her ample time to settle the nearly RM1 million loan taken seven years ago," he said.
"No one can interfere with Mara's actions because they are in accordance with a court order. We do not take such steps lightly, nor do we show favouritism to any borrower. Mara follows strict legal procedures."
He added that legal action is always a last resort when all other attempts to recover the loan have been ignored by the borrower.
"This firm stance is necessary to ensure that every cent of public funds is properly collected for the benefit of others," he said.
Asyraf Wajdi explained that Mara had previously offered Rozita the opportunity to restructure the loan if she faced financial difficulties. However, he said she had failed to cooperate, with delays caused by her repeated changes of legal representation.
Regarding the recent raid at Rozita's home in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, he clarified that it was conducted based on the address listed in the agreement signed with MARA.
He further stated that the exact value of the seized items would only be determined after the auction, but preliminary estimates suggest they will fall far short of covering the debt.
The RM960,000 loan was provided by Mara Selangor, with Rozita and her son as guarantors, in addition to a fixed deposit of RM80,000 pledged as collateral. It is understood that the fixed deposit had already been liquidated by Mara.
A source revealed that while Rozita had initially sought to renegotiate her loan repayments and request a restructuring, she eventually ceased all communication.
A court judgment was issued against Rozita and her son in May of last year, and while Rozita's lawyer had reached out to Mara, the directive remained clear: the full debt must be repaid.
Among the items seized from Rozita's home last Tuesday were a car, furniture, shoes, and various household goods. Authorities are now awaiting a court date to schedule the auction of these assets.