PAS and Umno today questioned the sponsorship of an overseas trip by a betting company for the country's top cops.

Wanita Umno chief Noraini Ahmad said the sponsorship by Da Ma Cai had also hurt the feelings of Muslims as it was against syariah law.

"The revelation of Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng that betting company Da Ma Cai had sponsored a delegation of 16 senior police officers led by inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun to Istanbul, Turkey has tarnished the image of the Royal Malaysian Police.

"It also raises speculation among the people about the motives of Da Ma Cai which is a gambling and lottery company," she said in a statement today.

She also called Lim "irresponsible" for stating he had no knowledge of the sponsorship through the Malaysian Totalisator Board, which falls under his ministry and regulates the horse-betting industry.

Lim had clarified that the trip was not funded by the Finance Ministry but by Da Ma Cai through the Totalisator Board, which did not require his approval.

However, he had added that he is looking into whether future sponsorships should require ministerial approval.

Meanwhile, PAS information chief Nasrudin Hassan said the sponsorship might constitute a conflict of interest and give rise to negative perceptions.

"There is a perception that certain quarters want to use enforcement agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Police for political and business interests," he said in a separate statement.

Nasrudin asked who had requested the Malaysian Totalisator Board to sponsor the trip, and demanded full disclosure of the trip's details.