KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) will object to Aman Palestin Berhad's judicial review to release its 41 bank accounts that were frozen under a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) probe.
Senior Federal Counsel Nur Irmawatie Daud who appeared on behalf of AGC said this during a court proceeding before High Court judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh today.
Lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali appeared for the applicant (Aman Palestin).
Rafique informed the court that the application needed to be heard immediately due to an urgent need to send aid to the Palestinian people affected by the current conflict in Gaza.
The court set Feb 13 and 20 for both parties to submit their written submissions and fixed Feb 27 to hear the case.
On Jan 31, the non-governmental organisation filed the judicial review to release the 41 bank accounts containing RM15 million belonging to Aman Palestin and some of its related entities.
The applicant named MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, MACC Investigation Division senior director Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hashim, MACC's Anti-Money Laundering division director Datuk Mohamad Zamri Zainul Abidin, two MACC officers Mohd Afiq Mohammed Hassan and Muhammad Zuhdi Mohd Yusoff, MACC, and the government as the respondents.
In the application, Aman Palestin seeks a writ of certiorari to annul the decisions of the first respondent (Azam) through the sixth respondent (MACC) regarding the freezing order on Nov 24, 2023, under Section 44(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The applicant also seeks a mandamus order for the MACC to unfreeze RM11,026, 215.60 for their daily expenses, employee salaries, administration, operations, and the applicant's aid missions for the next three months.
The applicant also wants a court declaration to allow them to continue collecting donations from the public and subsequently channeling them directly to the victims of the war in Gaza.
In November last year, the MACC confirmed it was freezing 41 bank accounts belonging to Aman Palestin with a total value of RM15,868,762.00 due to an investigation into allegations of misappropriation of public donation funds.
The commission conducted searches at Aman Palestin's premises to obtain financial documents and operational management records for the past five years.
MACC had, in October last year, launched an investigation into Aman Palestin for alleged irregularities in the NGO's fundraising activities for the Palestinian people.
It was previously reported that the graftbusters were in the process of identifying the NGO's assets which were believed to have been obtained through the misappropriation of RM70 million in public funds.
