KUALA LUMPUR: After the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) froze Aman Palestin Bhd's accounts almost three months ago, the humanitarian non-governmental organisation (NGO) has been forced to operate on a reduced scale.
Established in 2004, this freeze has also resulted in the closure of 13 out of 20 Aman Palestin branches.
Aman Palestin Media and Documentation Department manager Ismail Muhammad Jufri said the decision was finalised by the NGO's management effective Feb 1.
As a result, he said, nearly 100 out of 150 Aman Palestin staff have been asked to take unpaid leave until further notice.
He did not rule out the possibility of a second round of operational downsizing if Aman Palestin's accounts remain frozen indefinitely.
"At the moment, Aman Palestin is not prevented from operating, but operational costs depend entirely on very limited secondary funds.
"So far, we still receive donations from certain parties channelled directly to our office from time to time.
"Staff members need to perform multiple duties to compensate for the shortage of manpower," he told BH today.
It was reported two Aman Palestin Berhad top brass and a company director have been slapped with 126 charges of cheating, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering worth more than RM39 million of the company's.
Aman Palestin chairman Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman and chief executive officer Awang Sufian Awang Piut pleaded not guilty when the charges were read before Sessions Court judge Datuk Anita Harun.
The court took more than two hours to read the charges before the accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial for all offences.
In a statement on Nov 22, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has frozen 41 Aman Palestin bank accounts involving an amount of RM15.87 million, following alleged irregularities over its fundraising activities.
Since its establishment, Aman Palestin has provided various forms of aid for projects in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria, funded by public donations, with the main goal of supporting al-Aqsa.
Projects implemented in Palestine and Palestinian refugee camps in surrounding countries include the construction of orphanages, educational assistance, medical aid, festive and livelihood support, support for impoverished families, self-sustaining agriculture, iftar programs, and Eid al-Adha Qurbani Projects.
Aman Palestin also collaborates with governmental and private institutions, corporate companies, schools, mosques, welfare bodies, and NGOs both domestically and internationally to achieve its objectives.
