Mat Sabu: It was a normal speech, but Bersih has a right to criticise

Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu today said his speech during a medal ceremony for military veterans in Port Dickson recently was a "normal" speech and not a political one.

He said that in delivering the speech – in which he subtly implied that military personnel in Port Dickson stood to gain from Anwar Ibrahim becoming the next prime minister – he was not campaigning, but stating a fact.

"If our candidate wins, he surely will work on the Port Dickson constituency and the country," said Mohamad, who attended the Kota Bharu-leg of the same medal ceremony today.

However, he said critics such as electoral reform pressure group Bersih were free to criticise him.

"We will listen to criticisms," he said.

Following Mohamad's speech, Bersih had urged cabinet ministers to not use their positions to give Anwar, a Port Dickson by-election candidate, an unfair advantage.

In recent days, cabinet ministers and their deputies who have joined the campaign, had travelled in their personal vehicles rather than in official vehicles.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail also publicly said that she had taken leave to join the campaign, while other ministers and their deputies chose to only engage in electioneering at night. -Mkini