A number of state assembly representatives from the Barisan Nasional coalition in Malacca have allegedly claimed reimbursements for mileage and hotel stay while attending party functions, including Umno's general assembly in Kuala Lumpur.

DAP leader Kerk Kim Hock, who is MP for Kota Melaka, yesterday released a list of names of those who have filed "dubious" claims in 2000 and 2001 with the state legislature.

The revelation comes hot on the heels of the controversy involving the purportedly high mileage and other living allowances claimed by 14 members of Parliament, which is currently being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA).

Top on Kerk's list is Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Mohd Rastam ( photo ), who allegedly filed claims for attending an Umno supreme council meeting held in Kuala Lumpur in early 2001.

Three other Umno politicians - assembly speaker Amid Nordin, executive councillors Ahmad Hamzah and Long Md Said - allegedly claimed for expenses incurred for attending their party's general assembly in 2000, also held in Kuala Lumpur.

Amid's claims apparently included an unspecified length of hotel stay during the Umno general assembly.

Kerk expressed disappointment that an ACA probe, in response to a report filed by DAP assemblyperson for Tengkera Goh Leong San two years ago, had cleared these politicians.

Last Thursday, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department M Kayveas replied to Kerk in Parliament that ACA investigations have shown that the claims made were for official duties and there was no claim which could be interpreted as corruption.

"The reply that the claims made were for official duties was shocking as this is the first time that I have heard that attending political functions and private functions is considered an official duty, and that it entitles the MP to submit claims," said Kerk.

A wedding and a funeral

The DAP leader has also revealed the following alleged claims:

  • Executive councillor Momin Abd Aziz, who claimed for two Umno branch meetings.

  • Executive councillor Poh Ah Tiam, who claimed for a meeting with the Chinese community in Lunas during the 2000 by-election.

  • Executive councillor Ramlah Abas, who claimed for a party function also during the Lunas by-election in Kedah.

  • Executive councillor R Raghawan, who claimed for a MCA dinner in Jasin.

  • Duyung assemblyperson Gan Boon Leong, who claimed for a MCA Youth function in Jasin. He also claimed for attending a wedding, a funeral and a Deepavali open house held by his colleague Raghawan.

  • Merlimau assemblyperson Nazari Adzim, who claimed for a special Umno Youth meeting from Jasin and Rim divisions.

    • Kerk described Kavyeas' answer that no hanky-panky was found involving the above claims as a "big joke".

    "When I revealed such unjustified claims by the Malacca BN representatives in the Parliament during last year's sittings, the issue was such an embarrassment and laughing stock that no one was prepared to come to the defence of (chief minister) Ali Rastam," he said.

    He added that ACA's whitewash of its investigations has put the agency's credibility in jeopardy.

    "I call on the ACA to explain how they could classify such activities for political and private activities as official duties of an elected representative?" said the opposition leader, who is also DAP secretary-general.

    Factional feud

    Meanwhile, Kerk urged DAP members in Malacca to close ranks ahead of the general election, which he expects to be held in March or April next year.

    "Our supporters have made the calls for us to be united. They have said this a long time ago. They have said it so many times... too many times," he told the Malacca DAP state ordinary convention yesterday.

    The state DAP is bitterly split between two key factions - those who are aligned to state chairperson Sim Tong Him and those loyal to former Kota Melaka MP Lim Guan Eng ( photo ), who is the son of DAP leader Lim Kit Siang.

    "It is with a heavy heart that I have chosen to focus on the internal dispute... as we can no longer be seen as not addressing the appeals, concerns and worries of our supporters," he said.

    "What frightens me most is that due to our disunity, Malacca DAP is wiped out in the general election... Nobody can defeat us except the people and ourselves."

    Kerk said that he would propose to the national leadership to form a "new and high-powered" committee to resolve the protracted factional feud.

    He said that the party had tried twice, in 2001 and early this year, to resolve the internal problem, but that time is running out for a complete settlement between the two factions before the next polls.