{
  "id": 18269754,
  "title": "Speaker minta Zahid kemuka bukti perjelas kenyataan bercanggah projek KKDW",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/speaker-minta-zahid-kemuka-bukti-perjelas-kenyataan-bercanggah-projek",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T07:35:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/11/05/speaker-minta-zahid-kemuka-bukti-perjelas-kenyataan-bercanggah-projek-kkdw"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pertahanan Menteri Luar Bandar dan Wilayah Zahid Hamidi is facing allegations of contradicting statements regarding the allocation of funds for a rural development project. Speaker Johari Abdul has requested Zahid to provide clarifications in the House of Representatives, following a summons from Pak Chong Zhemin, a Member of Parliament for Kampar. The request was made in a letter dated November 4, 2026, according to Berita Harian.\n\nZhemin, who has been advocating for the issue since Monday, expressed disappointment that Zahid had not provided any clarification. He now seeks a written explanation and the withdrawal of the initial statement. Zhemin stated that he raised the issue on Monday but received no response from Zahid, prompting the Speaker to issue the summons.\n\nThe controversy arose during the passage of the 2027 Infrastructure Bill in a House of Representatives committee. Zhemin accused Zahid and Deputy Finance Minister Amir Hamzah Azizan of diverting funds for the rural project, citing a notional change of address (NOC) scheme to fund other projects. When questioned about the project being funded by the NOC, Zahid reportedly claimed there were no such projects. However, Zhemin argues that Zahid's response contradicts Amir Hamzah's statement during the Finance Ministry's financial management presentation on November 24, when he explained that the NOC scheme allowed for the repurposing of funds to meet program needs, with the added benefit of funding the Bandar Road Development Program (JALB), which in turn reduced funding for other programs.",
  "summary": "Speaker Dewan Rakyat Johari Abdul dalam surat bertarikh 4 Nov minta timbalan perdana menteri berbuat demikian selewatnya Khamis depan.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "The Speaker’s summons forces a formal reconciliation of conflicting ministerial accounts regarding fund diversion, placing the accountability for rural project allocations directly on the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development.",
  "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."
}