KUALA LUMPUR – Aman Palestin Bhd’s lawyer has claimed that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has missed out on a “golden opportunity” to unveil the embattled non-governmental organisation’s philanthropic efforts for the people of Palestine.
With winter coming in Palestine, legal representative Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali said the anti-graft agency failed to gain more insight into the NGO’s annual fundraising campaign.
This came after MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki had decided against releasing RM10 million of Aman Palestin funds to the Palestinians, as investigations are still ongoing.
“The winter campaign is an annual affair by Aman Palestin, which is why the MACC lost a golden opportunity to follow its members, to see the good work done so far and interview recipients, who could confirm (the NGO’s efforts),” Rafique said when contacted by Scoop.
“(The MACC) could have taken the opportunity to confirm that the monies are going to be channelled to Palestine and those in need, as well as the existence of a proper network for the programmes.
“If the MACC is investigating the alleged wrongdoing or misappropriation of funds, this is their best chance to be on the ground and see all the good work Aman Palestin has done so far, and confirm whether the funds were truly sent to the people there.”
Confirming that Aman Palestin did not receive any response from the MACC today – past Aman Palestin’s three-day ultimatum – Rafique said the NGO is filing for legal action in court.
Rafique reiterated that his team is still mulling over the type of legal action it would take on the matter, but reiterated its aim to unfreeze Aman Palestin’s accounts.
In a press conference on Monday night, Aman Palestin insisted that the funds collected had reached their targeted recipients, and were merely not channelled through the Palestine embassy here.
The NGO also accused the MACC of maliciously attempting to tarnish the organisation’s image by freezing 41 accounts and investigating several related entities.
At the same time, it also gave the agency a three-day ultimatum to unfreeze its accounts. However, Azam welcomed Aman Palestin to sue the MACC, noting that it is prepared to justify its decision in court over the account freezing.
In response, Palestinian ambassador Walid Abu Ali told Scoop that the embassy here coordinates with the Malaysian Foreign Ministry and its humanitarian mission, Ops Ihsan, to facilitate aid to Gaza via Egypt’s Al-Arish Airport – one of the closest airports to the Gaza Strip.
He added that the Egyptian Red Crescent Society is involved in efforts to facilitate the handing over of donations to Palestinians.
It should be noted that several posts on Aman Palestin’s Facebook page mention Ops Ihsan, implying that it is one of the participating NGOs in the initiative.
On October 20, the MACC announced its probe into Aman Palestin based on information reported in the media. Azam said there was no need for the anti-graft body to have waited for a report to be filed.
A search of the premises to seize financial and operational management documents for the past five years also led to findings that some RM70 million had been allegedly misappropriated or diverted for purposes other than the charity’s objectives.
The RM70 million was said to have been used to buy gold, property and make cash investments.
Previously, Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin wrote a letter to the Perlis Islamic Affairs Department against permitting Aman Palestin to collect funds in places of worship and relevant religious premises within the state.
The state religious authority then suspended fund collections by Aman Palestin in Perlis, effective October 12. – December 1, 2023