Azmin: Amirudin told me PKR sending him to Gombak 'to be slaughtered'

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari called Mohamed Azmin Ali to express fear over a party decision to field him in Gombak at the coming polls, the Bersatu man said in a recent speech.

Azmin, a three-term Gombak MP, said Amirudin had called him last month to inform him of what he thought was the real agenda behind the move.

"He said, 'I have been asked to stand in Gombak. I know, this is to slaughter me in Gombak'," Azmin said at a Perikatan Nasional event hosted by PAS in Taman Melewar, Gombak, referring to a conversation with Amiruddin last month.

MalaysiaNow is still waiting for a response from Amirudin.

This follows the strongest indication yet from PKR president Anwar Ibrahim that Amirudin will be fielded in Gombak to take on Azmin at the 15th general election. 

"We will send Selangor's main commander to Gombak... but this is not an official announcement… officially, it will be on Oct 28," Anwar said yesterday.

Amirudin was widely seen as Azmin's protege during the latter's time as the PKR deputy president.

He was also chosen by Azmin to replace him as Selangor menteri besar following Azmin's move to the federal Cabinet in 2018 under Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Azmin was among a dozen PKR MPs who were sacked from the party after their fallout with Anwar, in the wake of the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in early 2020. He went on join Bersatu, and will be defending Gombak on a PN ticket.

The predominantly Malay constituency, with a mix of urban and semi-urban areas spread across Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, was considered an Umno fort until Azmin won it for PKR in 2008.

In 2018, he retained the seat, beating candidates from PAS and Umno with a majority of 48,721 votes.

Last month, Azmin responded to suggestions that Anwar challenge him in Gombak, as the PKR supremo eyed several options in moving out of Port Dickson.

"Whoever wants to come to Gombak, please do," he said. "If you want to send your wife or your children, too, go ahead."

Anwar has since said that he will contest in Tambun, Perak, against the incumbent from Bersatu, Ahmad Faizal Azumu.