{
  "id": 17776762,
  "title": "Rural project funding dispute sparks Dewan Rakyat row",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/rural-project-funding-dispute-sparks-dewan-rakyat-row",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-02T09:25:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/11/1569141/rural-project-funding-dispute-sparks-dewan-rakyat-row"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A controversial funding dispute in rural Malaysia has led to heated exchanges in the Dewan Rakyat, the Malaysian House of Representatives. Chong Zhemin, a member of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PH), invoked a parliamentary rule to accuse another MP of misleading the House and called for the matter to be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee. Chong questioned the Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, about whether any rural projects were sacrificed in order to fund the Rural Road Programme on October 26. According to Chong, Zahid claimed that no projects were sacrificed, but Finance Minister II, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, stated otherwise during his own speech to the Finance Ministry. The financial management procedure allows for reallocation of funds through a Notice of Change (NOC), which, if applied to the Rural Road Programme, would result in reduced funding for other projects. Chong cited this discrepancy as evidence that projects were indeed sacrificed. Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul instructed Chong to file a motion, but ruled that the Standing Orders did not permit him to summon the minister directly. The conflicting statements have caused confusion among constituents in Sabah and Sarawak, with MP Rayer expressing concern that the PM's government may be attempting to sabotage the Madani administration. Shahidan Kassim of the People's Justice Party (PN) called Rayer's remarks \"malicious suspicion\" against the deputy prime minister, while Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar of the Barisan Nasional (BN) party defended the accusation, arguing that government support would have been withdrawn if there had been any sabotage. Despite the tensions, Rayer remained adamant, prompting Johari to tell both MPs to sit down.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: A dispute over whether rural projects were sacrificed to fund the Rural Road Programme sparked heated exchanges in the Dewan Rakyat.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}