SHAH ALAM – Three individuals linked to embattled non-governmental organisation (NGO) Aman Palestin Bhd arrived at the court complex at 8.40am here to face 164 money laundering charges, amounting to RM45,568,317.56.
The trio are Aman Palestin executive director Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman, chief executive officer Awang Sufian Awang Piut, and one Khairudin Mohd Ali.
Zaik and Awang are facing 161 charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating involving delivery of property, and money laundering, amounting to RM39,530,300.96.
Khairudin is slapped with three charges of money laundering amounting to RM6,038,016.60.
They were previously investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on allegations of money laundering related to the misappropriation of public funds donated to the NGO.
They were escorted by personnel from the anti-graft agency, with all three accused travelling in separate cars.
Yesterday, it was reported that the three suspects were arrested at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya after they were summoned for their statements.
In October last year, Perlis mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin raised doubts about Aman Palestin’s fundraising activities and had written to the Perlis Islamic Affairs Department, asking it to halt the collection of funds for Palestine by the NGO at mosques and surau in the state.
About a month later, the MACC froze 41 Aman Palestin-linked bank accounts amounting to RM15.86 million as part of its probe into alleged irregularities in the NGO’s fundraising activities for war-torn Gaza.
The agency had also conducted a search at the organisation’s premises, obtaining financial and operational management documents spanning the past five years.
Early investigations pointed to the alleged misappropriation of some RM70 million, with the funds having supposedly been diverted for purposes other than the organisation’s objectives.
In January this year, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the commission was still investigating the veracity of Aman Palestin’s previous transactions and claims.
Aman Palestin leaders filed a judicial review against the anti-graft agency for “malicious” attempts to tarnish the NGO’s reputation.
On February 6, it was reported that Aman Palestin’s bid to commence a judicial review against the MACC had been pushed to February 27 after senior federal counsel Nur Irmawatie Daud informed the court that the Attorney-General’s Chambers would be filing an objection against the application. – February 15, 2024