Claims on army camp campaigns slanderous - Hishammuddin

KUANTAN: Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said a statement that went viral on social media claiming that Army chief General Tan Sri Zamrose Mohd Zain had allowed him to conduct election campaigns in Army camps was slanderous.

Hishammuddin, who is Barisan Nasional (BN) treasurer-general said in fact, he has yet to step foot in any army camp throughout the 15th general election (GE15) campaign period.

"I had been campaigning in my own constituency in Sembrong and other areas in Johor. I am in Pahang now, which means I have not entered any (army) camp," he told reporters when met at the Pahang BN Jelajah Undi programme here today.

Also present were the BN candidate for the Kuantan parliamentary seat, Datuk Seri Ab Hamid Mohd Nazahar and the three BN candidates contesting state seats under Kuantan, namely Datuk Seri Shafik Fauzan Sharif (Inderapura), Nara @ Nikman Nordin (Tanjung Lumpur) and Tee Choon Ser (Teruntum).

In addition to Kuantan, Hishammuddin also visited BN candidates in Raub, Kuala Krau and Indera Mahkota.

Yesterday the Army, in a statement, said no such statement had been issued, adding that Zamrose had also reminded army personnel not to get directly involved in the GE15 campaign.

Separately, Hishammuddin said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin's statement during an election campaign event in Sungai Buloh recently that he aspired to be Prime Minister in the future should not be sensationalised.

He said this was because only the party can decide on the post.

"This sort of talk will surface during the election season as folks will always look for sensational issues to talk about," he added.

-- BERNAMA