Aman Palestin Gives MACC Three Days To Unfreeze Bank Accounts, Says Gold Bars For Investment Purposes
Charity group Aman Palestin is under investigation over allegations of misappropriation of donation funds.
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Charity group Aman Palestin is currently being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for dubious financial practices and allegations of impropriety.
Aman Palestin’s bank accounts were frozen by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on 23 November for alleged misappropriation of public donations totalling RM70 million.
MACC froze 41 accounts belonging to the NGO and its entities with funds totalling RM15,868,672.
On 24 November, MACC carried out raids in five locations, including Aman Palestin’s office.
It was later reported that four Grade 999.9 gold bullions weighing 1kg each had also been seized from the NGO.
The investigation was conducted following offences under the MACC Act 2009, the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA), and Act 574 of the Penal Code.
READ MORE: Aman Palestin’s Accounts Frozen By MACC, Office Raided
Previously in October 2023, Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has ordered the Perlis Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAIPs) to ban Aman Palestin from fundraising in the state.
The order came amid concerns over Aman Palestin’s unclear financial practices and allegations of funds being misused or misappropriated.
READ MORE: Perlis Mufti Orders Ban On Aman Palestin Fundraising In Perlis
Aman Palestin gives MACC three days to unfreeze accounts
During the press conference last night (27 November), Aman Palestin’s lawyer, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, said the NGO is giving MACC three days to unfreeze their bank accounts or risk legal action.
Aman Palestin claimed that only 11 of the 41 accounts frozen by MACC belong to Aman Palestin and were used for donation purposes. The rest belong to the charity’s strategic partners, board of directors, and staff members.
Rafique added that the charity’s most recent audit was in 2021 and the report is available to the public at the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) website.
Regarding the gold bars, Rafique said those were used for investment purposes as it is easier to convert gold into cash and then to be used as donation funds.
According to the company’s constitution, it stipulated that the gold bars can be used for investment purposes and it is allowed under the power given to the board of directors of Aman Palestine. The allegations were malicious and false. There are 16 articles that allowed the board members of Aman Palestine to invest in various mechanisms.
Aman Palestin’s lawyer, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali
He also claimed that the statement put out by MACC on 23 November was malicious and published deliberately to tarnish the charity’s reputation.
He questioned MACC’s timing of freezing Aman Palestin’s accounts after the charity announced it was going to donate RM10 million worth of aid to Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, including the surrounding areas.
With the accounts frozen, Rafique said Aman Palestin would not be able to deliver aid to these countries.
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