From Humanitarian Aid To Jewellery: Ex-NGO Boss Denies RM207,000 Misuse As MACC Seizes RM8 Million

0 Sara Smith January 12, 2026

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The former chairman of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Serantau Muslim pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur today (12 January) to misusing RM207,000 in humanitarian mission funds intended for Syria, Myanmar, Yemen, and Palestine seven years ago.

Mohd Hakim Mohd Nor, 39, a father of three, was charged with dishonestly misappropriating the donation money at a bank branch on Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin on 27 December, 2019, while serving as the NGO’s chairman.

He was charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of imprisonment ranging from six months to five years, whipping, and a fine upon conviction.

Judge Azrul Darus set bail at RM10,000 with one guarantor after the defence argued the prosecution’s proposed RM50,000 bail was too high, noting the accused will face additional charges in Melaka and Perak on Tuesday (13 January) and Wednesday (14 January), respectively.

The court set 11 March for case mention.

MACC Probes Multiple NGOs Suspected Of Fraud Scheme

Mohd Hakim was among five people arrested during Op Serantau, a special MACC operation targeting NGOs suspected of misappropriating public donations, with raids conducted across Selangor, Melaka, and Penang starting in June last year.

MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki revealed that authorities seized assets totalling more than RM8 million, including jewellery worth RM100,000, cash exceeding RM1 million, cryptocurrency valued at RM650,000, and four houses worth over RM1.4 million.

The alleged misappropriation is believed to have been ongoing since 2015, with investigations covering multiple NGOs suspected of diverting public donations for personal gain.

According to earlier reports, the NGO allegedly transferred organisational funds into personal accounts to purchase jewellery, cars, land, and houses, while surplus funds from humanitarian projects were pocketed for personal use.

Media reports revealed that at least three “popular” NGOs are under MACC’s radar after being found to have accumulated “illicit wealth” from fundraising campaigns.

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An Urgent Need For Malaysia To Overhaul NGO Regulations

This case is the latest in a series of high-profile NGO scandals that have rocked Malaysia in recent years, where charitable organisations meant to help the needy ended up enriching their leaders instead.

These scandals have repeatedly raised questions about oversight and accountability in Malaysia’s NGO sector, where donors rely on trust and good faith.

Aman Palestin came under scrutiny when the MACC launched an investigation into its activities on 17 October 2023.

The organisation now faces serious allegations of embezzlement, with an estimated RM70 million in public donations misappropriated.

Three individuals linked to Aman Palestin have been accused of fraud and money laundering involving RM39.53 million between 2018 and 2023.

MACC has also frozen 41 bank accounts linked to the organisation as part of its ongoing investigation.

With many Malaysians generous in supporting humanitarian causes – from helping local communities to international disaster relief – this alleged betrayal of public trust hits particularly hard.

@cerdik_akaun Hasil siasatan awal SPRM, Aman Palestine didapati menyeleweng duit dana awam sebanyak RM 70 Juta. #syamil #cerdik #akaun #cerdikakaun #fyp #aman #palestine #amanpalestin #scam #sprm #derma #korupsi #israel ♬ original sound – Syamil | Cerdik Akaun