According to The Star Online, the mayor spoke about it during the Shah Alam city council full board meeting yesterday. Ahmad Zaharin said that the staff member in question submitted claims for August for an overtime task carried out on a Sunday for five hours. The council turned down the claim after carrying out an internal probe on the matter. "I take these things very seriously, and I believe everyone should do the same because this involves the Rakyat’s money,” Ahmad Zaharin was quoted saying. It was reported that the council also did not approve 200 out of 500 claims for the month of September. Ahmad Zaharin stressed that work duties should be completed within the working hours of 8am to 5pm, and not at the "whim-and-fancy” of staff members. "Overtime claims need prior approval from the heads of departments. This is something we have been practising but somehow it is not being followed through. However, after this there will be no compromise on the issue,” he reportedly said. Local councilors have suggested that severe action be taken in these cases, including the lodging of police reports against staff members with bogus claims.