KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has remained adamant that it will not unfreeze the Aman Palestin accounts and is ready to address legal challenges.
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki told the New Straits Times that he had not received Aman Palestin's letter and stressed his respect for everyone's right to pursue legal action.
"As far as I know, it is all coming up in the media. If they want to sue MACC, we are ready to answer for it. We'll see it through in court," Azam said, adding that he would consult the legal advisor once he received the letter.
Earlier, Aman Palestin Bhd gave MACC three days to unfreeze its account or face legal action.
Aman Palestin's lawyer, Mohd Rafique Rashid Ali, said the organisation had sent a letter to the MACC chief commissioner and the MACC anti-money laundering division director yesterday, demanding the freezing order to be lifted or changed.
Azam also dismissed Aman Palestin's allegation that MACC's actions were a planned conspiracy to commit character assassination towards the organisation and its board of directors.
"MACC is carrying out its duty professionally, without any ill or malicious intention towards anybody," he emphasised.
Azam said Aman Palestin could have disclosed the details of those 41 accounts on their own will.
"By now, we are not disclosing any details of the accounts," he said while confirming that MACC will not unfreeze any of the accounts as Aman Palestin demanded.
Aman Palestine yesterday alleged that MACC's statement, which failed to specify which 41 accounts were suspended, constitutes malicious slander intended to tarnish the organisation's reputation.
It was previously reported that the graftbusters were in the process of identifying assets of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), which are believed to have been obtained through the misappropriation of RM70 million in public funds.
Earlier, MACC had also confirmed freezing 41 of the NGO's bank accounts, amounting to RM15,868,762.
The freezing was carried out after the MACC investigated allegations of Aman Palestin misusing public donations.