Allegations that PAS deputy chief Mohamad Sabu made inappropriate claims from the Penang Water Authority (PWA) have been included  in a report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

NONE Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-chief Huan Cheng Guan ( right ), who lodged the report, said Mohamad's claim for RM8,434.05 as his medical expenses was "suspicious" as the real cost of the treatment was RM5,060.54.

Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, is a non-executive member of the PWA. He made the claim after being warded for three days at the KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital.

He had sustained injury on his right knee and subsequently went for surgery after a motorcycle accident during the Bersih 2.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur on July 9.

Huan said Mat Sabu, as a former parliamentarian, was qualified to receive first class treatment at a public hospital anywhere in the country.

"Even Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak received treatment for his knee injury at the Kuala Lumpur hospital, why does Mat Sabu need to seek treatment at a private hospital at such a high cost?" he asked.

"This amounts to wastage of public funds from Penang's coffers," he told reporters outside the MACC building in George Town today.

Huan, a former Gerakan vice-chief, was responding to a recent statement by Umno information head Reezal Merican that he had evidence that Mat Sabu had claimed the money for his medical bills.

Reezal had asked Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is also PWA chairperson, to explain what the additional cost of RM3,373.50 was for.

Huan also wants the MACC to probe why and how Lim approved the claims.

He said Lim's action in the matter does not reflect the Competency, Accountability and Transparency principles that the state has been preaching.

"What is the rational for Lim to approve the claims? Mat Sabu's injuries were due to his participation in a demonstration, not due to any work related to PWA," he said.

"I urge the MACC to investigate the matter based on whatever laws that are available," he added.

Penang MACC director M Samarajoo was not available for comment, and journalists were barred from entering the MACC building.

Clarification soon

In an immediate response, Lim said the details of payment were handled by the PWA management, which will clarify the issue after the Hari Raya break.

PWA general manager Jaseni Maidin, when asked about the matter, had told Lim "everything was in order".

Lim was was unfazed by the MACC report, saying the information provided to the authorities may not contain all the important details because Umno usually "does not reveal everything".

NONE He expressed sympathy for Mat Sabu (left) because the latter had not only been slandered by Umno, but was accused of "acting out" his injuries.

"Now they (Umno) are challenging his medical treatment. I think, they should first apologise to him for saying that he was acting," Lim told a press conference in Komtar today.

Lim advised against slander, saying this was "worse than murder" for the one who is slandered.

"I learnt from my Muslim friends that to slander people is really bad. I hope those who have slandered others will realise what they have done," he added.

"It seems they want to whack Mat Sabu from all sides, this is not ethical and this is the kind of politics we are not interested in."