Fire and Rescue Department deputy director-general (management) Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim admitted a few meetings had been held in the office to organise two wedding receptions of director-general Jaafar Sidek Tambi's son in September.

However, he denied this amounted to abuse of power or department resources as has been alleged by the Kuala Lumpur department's deputy director, Mohd Ali Tambi Chik

"I don't deny totally that we have used the department's facilities and time, but it was done for the sake of convenience," said Wan Mohd Nor, who had chaired the main committee for the wedding receptions.

"Maybe one or two meetings were held in the office, but most of the meetings were held outside," he said when contacted in Labuan, where he is on an official trip.

It is learnt that a series of meetings was also held during office hours at the Renaissance Hotel in KL, involving senior officers from a dozen departments.

It could not be ascertained whether the expenses were paid by Jaafar Sidek or the department. The Renaissance public relations manager Farah Halim refused to disclose the information when asked yesterday.