'Be fair to UiTM, take action against Zahid and his ministry too', Guan Eng pushes MACC

Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng repeated his call for authorities to investigate and take action against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over the Rural and Regional Development Ministry’s overspending of its approved RM2.1 billion allocation.

In a statement today, he compared it to a recent MACC action against UiTM for injecting RM259.98 million into its wholly owned investment arm between 2007 and 2018 without obtaining the finance minister's approval.

"If the MACC does not take action against Zahid and the ministry because of his senior position, this would be highly unfair to UiTM, as it would demonstrate unequal enforcement of the law.

"The MACC must act firmly and swiftly against the ministry and Zahid so that it is not seen as practising selective investigations or applying a double standard," Lim said.

The DAP adviser reiterated that action against Zahid and his ministry is necessary to deter other ministries from committing similar offences that could jeopardise Malaysia's financial stability.

About a month ago, friction between Pakatan Harapan and BN led to a rare public dispute between ministries over funding issues.

It began in late August when Zahid, who is the rural and regional development minister, vented his frustration over funding disbursements during his ministry’s monthly assembly.

According to the Umno president, many contractors were left unpaid despite completing their projects and achieving milestones, and he urged the Finance Ministry to expedite payments.

The Finance Ministry, which is under Prime Minister and Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim, is responsible for funding disbursements.

Zahid’s denial

In response to Zahid (below), Treasury secretary-general Johan Mahmood Merican said no sanctions have been imposed on the Rural and Regional Development Ministry’s allocation for rural roads, which has already been fully disbursed.

He also painted the ministry as consistently going over budget and said the Finance Ministry is working to identify cost savings in other ministries to support the excesses.

The Finance Ministry also released a statement detailing how the Rural and Regional Development Ministry had burst its budget for the past four years.

Despite this, Zahid denied that his ministry had overspent.

Last week, the Finance Ministry declined to comment when Malaysiakini asked whether the dispute with Zahid had been resolved.

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