PD POLLS | The welfare of army veterans will be taken care of if the Port Dickson MP becomes prime minister, Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu told retired members of Batallion 22 today.

"If the MP of this area becomes the prime minister, of course we will try to solve all grievances and welfare issues, even if we cannot promise golden pots and the hearts of mosquitoes," he said, in a reference to Malay legend Puteri Gunung Ledang.

Mohamad was presenting veterans with Malaysian Service Medals (PJM) at the Army Museum in Port Dickson.

Sat in the front row was the Port Dickson by-election Pakatan Harapan candidate Anwar Ibrahim, who had made an unannounced stop at the event while on his campaign trail.

When asked by journalists later, Mohamad denied using public resources to campaign for Anwar in his capacity as defence minister.

"But tonight I will campaign for Anwar at a ceramah," said the Amanah president.

Anwar himself denied campaigning at the medal ceremony, pointing out that the assembled veterans were from all over the country, and not just Port Dickson.

Meanwhile, Mohamad also said that it is up to the MACC to decide if an RM500,000 allocation for the home renovations of armed forces personnel in Port Dickson constitutes an election bribe.

This, he contended, is because the allocation was given out before polling day of the by-election, which will take place on Oct 13.

The Defence Ministry had announced the allocation on Sept 21, the day Anwar also announced that he would contest in Port Dickson.

This immediately drew flak as detractors said the move constitutes to bribing constituents.