Its lawyer, Rafique Rashid, said MACC failed to respond to its demand for the accounts to be released, and Aman Palestin has no choice but to resort to legal recourse.

Rafique said Aman Palestin has no alternative means of collecting funds to channel winter aid to the Palestinians.

“We have not received any response to our letter (to MACC), despite various media outlets reporting the chief commissioner’s statement that they are ready to be taken to court,” Rafique told FMT.

“They would have been able to check whether allegations that the funds had not reached (the intended recipients) are true or not. By meeting past aid recipients, they can confirm whether this is the first time Aman Palestin is involved in humanitarian work.”

Last Monday, Aman Palestin gave MACC three days to unfreeze their bank accounts or risk facing legal action. MACC chief Azam Baki brushed this off and said the agency was ready to defend itself in court.

MACC had frozen 41 bank accounts belonging to Aman Palestin and several other companies – which had a combined total of RM15.8 million – as part of an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of RM70 million by the NGO.

The investigation involves claims Aman Palestin funnelled the money into these companies.

The case is being investigated under the MACC Act 2009, the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amla), and the Penal Code.