We’ll probe ministry’s overspending if there’s a complaint, says MACC

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has pledged to investigate the RM2.1 billion shortfall in spending by deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's rural and regional development ministry, should a formal complaint be lodged, according to MACC chief commissioner Abd Halim Aman. The commission only became aware of the issue through media reports, as no formal complaint has yet been filed.

Treasury officials have confirmed that the ministry has consistently exceeded its approved budget for rural road projects in recent years, with expenditures reaching RM2.3 billion in 2025 against an approved allocation of RM1.6 billion. This revelation came after Zahid stated that contractors under his ministry were still awaiting payment for completed work, prompting a heated exchange between the Prime Minister's office and the ministries involved.

The DAP's Lim Guan Eng has called for the MACC to investigate the over-expenditure, drawing parallels to a previous controversy involving the Universiti Teknologi Mara. The Treasury deputy secretary general, Zamzuri Abdul Aziz, has since claimed the matter has been resolved, though he did not provide further details.