KUALA LUMPUR – Orthodox Islamist non-governmental organisation (NGO) Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) has threatened to take legal action against anyone associating it with embattled charity body Aman Palestin Bhd’s ongoing RM45.5 million money laundering case.
Isma secretary-general Muhammad ‘Izzat Husman denied claims by certain quarters on the organisation’s alleged links to Aman Palestin, asserting that such accusations have malicious intentions to damage Isma’s credibility.
“Certain individuals and groups have issued statements and infographics online on the (Aman Palestin) case and claimed that Aman Palestin is owned and managed by Isma,” he said in a statement posted on Isma’s website today.
“Any irresponsible statement by any parties wishing to connect Isma, whether directly or indirectly, with (Aman Palestin) ongoing court case will be followed by the necessary legal action if those involved refuse to immediately retract their statement from social media.”
He also cautioned the public against slandering Isma, calling instead for parties to allow legal processes to be carried out fairly.
On February 15, two Aman Palestin board members and one affiliate claimed trial to 164 charges of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and cheating involving RM45.5 million in funds linked to the NGO.
The trio are accused of having committed the offences, including marking up the prices of gold sold to Aman Palestin and using the NGO’s monies to purchase properties and a luxurious vehicle, between 2018 and 2023 within their capacity as Samudra Champa Sdn Bhd directors.
Checks by Scoop showed that one of the figures, Aman Palestin executive director Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman, was a former Isma president who was fined RM2,000 in 2016 after he was found guilty of sedition over his remarks labelling the ethnic Chinese as “intruders” in Malaysia.
His remark was published in an article on Isma’s website in 2014 while a picture of Zaik remains on Isma’s website, as of press time.
It was reported that Zaik was Isma president up until 2018.
However, a post on Zaik’s public Facebook page showed that he had issued a statement as Isma’s “amir”, an Islamic term generally referring to a commander or leader, in October last year. – February 18, 2024