MACC chief Azam Baki said these NGOs took advantage of the generosity of Malaysians to accrue “illegal assets” and wealth for themselves.

He said they included foundations registered under the Registrar of Societies (RoS), Berita Harian reported.

“They ‘ride’ on religion, collecting millions in cash, but the funds go into the personal account of their chairman.

“The culprits will be charged in court soon,” he was quoted as saying.

Azam also took a swipe at the authorities that were supposed to monitor the activities of such NGOs and foundations, saying this should not be MACC’s responsibility.

“The relevant departments need to be aware of what’s happening. Certain ministries need to monitor and keep their eyes open (for suspicious activities among NGOs),” he said.

In mid-2025, MACC arrested several leaders of an NGO for allegedly conspiring to misappropriate funds belonging to the organisation.

Some RM26 million in public donations was allegedly misappropriated by the NGO’s committee members, including its chairman.