B.C. Liberal MLA Peter Fassbender is offering an explanation for a controversial cheque presentation at a Hindu temple in Surrey earlier this week.

This comes after the B.C. NDP accused Fassbender of using taxpayer dollars to benefit his party's re-election campaign.

In a video posted on Facebook, Fassbender and two other Liberal MLAs are seen presenting a $50,000 cheque on behalf of the province.

The New Democrats say the problem with the video is that it shows Fassbender announcing three unelected Liberal candidates who are running in the upcoming election.

Fassbender says he did nothing wrong.

"I didn't introduce them when I made the announcement and gave the cheque," Fassbender said.

"They were invited by the temple and I recognized the fact that they were there."

Previous incident

Fassbender's visit to the temple came less than a week after he was involved in another controversial photo op in Surrey.

He presented a $75,000 cheque to the Surrey Newton Rotary Club.

Fassbender admits that he made a mistake by holding the event at his campaign office.

"I should not have done it and I apologized for it," he said.

"This was a totally different context [from the cheque presentation at the temple]."

NDP MLA Mike Farnworth says Liberal candidates that aren't members of the Legislature have no business at news conferences where the government is giving out taxpayer money.

"It is just so frustrating that once again, you see the Liberals doing something they're not supposed to be doing," Farnworth said.

"They don't seem to care what the public thinks or how it looks to people. All that matters to them is their re-election."

Election season

The provincial election is still more than a month away and the official start of the campaign doesn't begin until April 11, but the B.C. Liberals have been in full campaign mode for weeks.

The party held eight photo ops in and around Metro Vancouver on Thursday.

They are back at it Friday with another eight events, including one on Vancouver Island.