Fire Department resources not abused for wedding: minister
Fire and Rescue Department director-general Jaafar Sidek Thambi who landed in a hot spot following his son's grand wedding did not plan to hold such elaborate functions but was requested to do so by his staff, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting also told parliamentarians that these were "personal" functions which did not exploit the department's equipment, vehicles or staff.
On the staff's involvement and the meetings held to organise the two functions, the minister said this was done in the department's spirit of gotong-royong (collective help).
The first reception on Sept 14 was held at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara and was attended by some 5,000 people. The next day, another function was held at the Renaissance Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, where 600 guests were feted.
Ong was replying to PAS MP for Pokok Sena Mahfuz Omar's allegation in Parliament last Thursday that Jaafar had abused his power by utilising his staff, the department's equipments and vehicles for his son's receptions.
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