00:00The Shah Alam High Court has rejected the prosecution's bid to forfeit more than 21 million ringgit,
00:07nearly 140,000 US dollars, and a one kilogram gold bar belonging to NGO Aman Palestine Berhad.
00:15Justice Latifah Tahar ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove that the assets were linked
00:21to any offence or constituted proceeds of unlawful activity. Latifah noted that Aman
00:28Palestine was a non-profit entity whose main objective was to coordinate charity and aid for
00:34Palestinians worldwide. According to the court, the NGO's funds came entirely from donations including
00:42online transactions, monthly bank deductions, and cash contributions made at branches located across
00:49Malaysia. The NGO had between 2018 and 2023 received close to 124 million ringgit in donations.
01:00The prosecution had claimed that funds were misappropriated, with investigations showing
01:05that Aman Palestine moved more than 64 million ringgit for investments and to purchase property
01:12and gold. It said the funds had been channeled to four entities, Samudera Champa Sendirian Berhad,
01:19Kerengga Merah Sendirian Berhad, Isra Travel Sendirian Berhad, and Yayasan Persahabatan Al-Insania Sejagat.
01:27However, Latifah ruled that responsibility for any misappropriation that arose from those
01:33transactions would lay with the individuals involved rather than the organisation itself.
01:38Following the ruling, Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yousop Khan applied to stay the return of the
01:45assets pending an appeal. The application has been fixed for case management on September 4.
01:53In February last year, two Aman Palestine executives and a company director claimed trial to 164 charges
02:01of money laundering, criminal breach of trust, and cheating involving RM39.5 million.
02:09Roman Dawi Gapari, FMT.
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