Zakat Selangor denies involvement in RM230 million misappropriation case

SHAH ALAM – Lembaga Zakat Selangor (Zakat Selangor) has denied any involvement in an alleged RM230 million zakat fund misappropriation case currently under investigation by authorities.

Its chief executive officer Mohd Khaidzír Shahari said the reported case involved a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and was not linked to the management of zakat funds by Zakat Selangor.

He said the institution has taken note of media reports regarding the arrest of several individuals in connection with the case but declined further comment as investigations were ongoing.

“Zakat Selangor operates as the state’s official zakat institution under the supervision of the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and is subject to comprehensive legal provisions and governance systems,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

He added that zakat fund management at the institution undergoes multiple layers of audit and monitoring, including internal and external audits as well as reviews by authorised bodies, to ensure transparency and proper control.

“As such, Zakat Selangor maintains a firm stance against any misuse of zakat funds and ensures that management is carried out in accordance with established governance frameworks,” he said.

He also advised the public to refer to Zakat Selangor’s official channels for accurate information and to make zakat payments through authorised platforms.

“All parties are reminded not to spread unverified information as it may cause confusion and undermine public confidence in zakat institutions,” he added.

On Tuesday, the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested three individuals, including a deputy chairman of an NGO, on suspicion of misappropriating approximately RM230 million in zakat funds.

According to sources, two men in their 50s and 60s were arrested on Tuesday evening in operations around the Klang Valley, while another man in his 50s was detained at 2pm when he appeared to give a statement at the Selangor MACC office.

Following that, two individuals, including the NGO’s deputy chairman, were remanded for four days from Wednesday until April 25 to assist in the investigation.

The remand order for the two men, aged 57 and 61, was issued by Magistrate Ameera Mastura Khamis after an application by the MACC at the Magistrate’s Court here on Wednesday.