Guan Eng calls for MACC action on Zahid over RM2.1b ministry overspending, cites UiTM precedent

Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng has called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over an alleged RM2.1 billion budget overrun in the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW).

Lim highlighted a pattern of overspending during Ahmad Zahid's tenure, emphasizing that such actions contravene financial protocols and could warrant legal action.

He urged the MACC to apply consistent enforcement standards as demonstrated in its recent action against UiTM management for unauthorized fund allocations.

Lim warned that failure to act against Ahmad Zahid could lead to accusations of selective prosecution.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng has urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to initiate an investigation into Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over an alleged RM2.1 billion budget overrun at the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW).

In a statement today, Lim said the anti-graft agency should apply the same rigorous enforcement standards to KKDW as it did in its recent probe into Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), where management was found to have channelled nearly RM260 million into its investment arm, UiTM Holdings, without the required approval from the Ministry of Finance.

Citing official Finance Ministry figures, Lim noted that KKDW spent RM1.8 billion in 2023 against an approved budget of RM1.1 billion. In 2024, the ministry expended RM2 billion against a RM1.3 billion allocation, followed by RM2.3 billion spent against an approved RM1.6 billion in 2025.

Lim said that the cumulative overspending totalled RM2.1 billion across the three-year period, all during Ahmad Zahid’s tenure as rural and regional development minister, stressing that unapproved overspending had not occurred prior to 2023.

“Such conduct by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is irresponsible as it violates existing financial procedures and regulations, which could warrant enforcement under the relevant laws,” he said, adding that decisive action is essential to deter other federal ministries from committing similar fiscal breaches.

Lim warned that the MACC risks facing public accusations of selective prosecution and double standards if it hesitates to act against Ahmad Zahid and KKDW “because of his high position”, calling such inaction fundamentally unfair to the management of UiTM.

Lim pointed to findings by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which discovered that UiTM management injected approximately RM260 million into UiTM Holdings in stages between 2007 and 2018 without Treasury clearance, resulting in accumulated losses of RM157.04 million across financial years 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021.

According to the PAC, RM42 million designated for a 50-megawatt solar development in Gambang, Pahang, was diverted for unrelated operational expenses without the authorisation of the company’s board of directors.

Lim added that strict governance is needed to safeguard UiTM’s increased RM3.08 billion budget allocation for 2026.

The DAP advisor’s statement comes on the heels of enforcement action by the MACC over the financial losses at UiTM Holdings.

The commission confirmed that a former senior corporate executive in his 50s was arrested at his residence in the Klang Valley on Sept 28 and is expected to be charged in court this Thursday.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly authorised operational expense payments in 2017 amounting to approximately RM42 million to several companies in which he held a beneficial interest.

MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman confirmed the arrest, stating that the case is being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 for abuse of power to obtain gratification.

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峇眼国会议员林冠英呼吁马来西亚反贪污委员会（MACC）调查副首相拿督斯里阿末扎希哈米迪涉嫌在乡村及区域发展部（KKDW）超支21亿令吉一事。

林强调了艾哈迈德·扎希德执政期间的过度支出模式，并强调这种行为违反了财务规定，可能会受到法律制裁。

他敦促马来西亚反贪污委员会（MACC）采用一致的执法标准，就像其最近对马来西亚理工大学（UiTM）管理层未经授权挪用资金的行为所采取的行动一样。

林警告说，如果不对艾哈迈德·扎希德采取行动，可能会导致选择性起诉的指控。

吉隆坡，9月30日讯——峇眼国会议员林冠英敦促马来西亚反贪污委员会（MACC）对副首相拿督斯里阿末扎希哈米迪展开调查，调查其涉嫌在乡村及区域发展部（KKDW）超支21亿令吉一事。

林冠英今天发表声明称，反贪机构应该对KKDW采取与最近对玛拉工艺大学（UiTM）调查时相同的严格执法标准。调查发现，UiTM管理层在未获得财政部必要批准的情况下，将近2.6亿令吉转入其投资部门UiTM控股公司。

林冠英援引财政部官方数据指出，2023年，KKDW（马来西亚国家发展和福利部）实际支出18亿令吉，而批准的预算为11亿令吉。2024年，该部门支出20亿令吉，而拨款为13亿令吉；2025年，该部门支出23亿令吉，而批准的预算为16亿令吉。

林冠英表示，在艾哈迈德·扎希担任乡村及区域发展部长的三年期间，累计超支总额达21亿令吉，并强调2023年之前从未发生过未经批准的超支。

“艾哈迈德·扎希德·哈米迪的这种行为是不负责任的，因为它违反了现有的财务程序和规定，可能需要根据相关法律进行强制执行，”他说道，并补充说，必须采取果断行动，以阻止其他联邦部门犯下类似的财政违规行为。

林冠英警告说，如果反贪污委员会因为艾哈迈德·扎希德和KKDW的“高位”而犹豫不决，将面临公众对其选择性起诉和双重标准的指责，并称这种不作为对马来西亚工艺大学（UiTM）的管理层从根本上来说是不公平的。

林指出，国会公共账目委员会（PAC）的调查结果显示，UiTM管理层在2007年至2018年期间分阶段向UiTM控股公司注资约2.6亿令吉，而未获得财政部的批准，导致2017、2018、2019和2021财年累计亏损1.5704亿令吉。

据公共账目委员会称，原计划用于彭亨州甘榜镇50兆瓦太阳能开发项目的4200万令吉资金，未经公司董事会授权，被挪用于无关的运营支出。

林补充说，需要严格的管理来保障马来西亚工艺大学（UiTM）2026年增加的30.8亿令吉预算拨款。

DAP顾问发表此番言论之前，马来西亚反贪污委员会已就UiTM控股公司的财务损失采取了执法行动。

委员会证实，一名 50 多岁的前企业高管于 9 月 28 日在巴生谷的住所被捕，预计将于本周四在法庭上被控告。

初步调查显示，该嫌疑人涉嫌在 2017 年授权向他持有实益权益的几家公司支付了约 4200 万令吉的运营费用。

马来西亚反贪污委员会首席专员拿督斯里阿卜杜勒·哈利姆·阿曼证实了逮捕行动，并表示该案件正在根据2009年反贪污委员会法令第23条进行调查，该条文涉及滥用职权获取利益。

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