{
  "id": 5288581,
  "title": "Kedah Umno hits back at MoF over KKDW delayed contractor payments",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/kedah-umno-hits-back-at-mof-over-kkdw-delayed-contractor-payments",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-03T08:45:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/09/1525008/kedah-umno-hits-back-mof-over-kkdw-delayed-contractor-payments"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Kedah Umno has criticized the Finance Ministry (MoF) for not providing a satisfactory response to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's remarks on delays in payments to contractors. Kedah Umno information chief Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin argued that a senior official should not publicly respond to the deputy prime minister in such a manner. Shaiful also took issue with the Treasury secretary-general's claim that the rural and regional development ministry had overspent, stating that the government's financial system does not allow ministries to spend as they please. He emphasized that every project is subject to approval, specific allocation details, and financial controls through the Integrated Government Financial Management and Accounting System. Shaiful further questioned MoF's explanation regarding the RM300 million payment, stating that it was not a new allocation but was channeled through a warrant of authority. He also called for a breakdown of warrants, contractual commitments, and actual disbursement records to clarify the entire approval and payment chain.",
  "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."
}