SPR M chair says no official complaint yet on ministry overspending allegations

Abd Halim Aman, chair of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, stated that the body only became aware of the alleged overspending through newspaper coverage and has not been presented with a formal complaint. Consequently, he said the commission cannot commence an inquiry until a complaint is lodged. Earlier, the Treasury disclosed that the Zahid ministry consistently exceeded its budget for rural road initiatives, with spending surpassing the approved amounts for 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Zahid noted that contractors under his ministry were still awaiting payment even after completing projects, leading some firms to close operations. Following the dispute, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim instructed the Finance Ministry and the Economic Planning Unit to meet and resolve the matter amicably. DAP adviser Lim Guan Eng urged SPR M to investigate the overspending, referencing a similar issue involving a RM260 million injection to UiTM Holdings without finance minister approval. The Treasury’s deputy secretary Zamzuri Abdul Aziz later claimed the issue had been settled, though he gave no details.