Gombak incumbent Mohamed Azmin Ali yesterday said he welcomed Amirudin Shari contesting in the constituency at the upcoming polls, but that he was disappointed he would not be facing PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim despite the latter's suggestion of moving there.

"Previously, there were murmurs of big names eyeing Gombak, and I said that anyone could come because we are a mature democracy," Azmin said last night at the launch of Perikatan Nasional's (PN) election machinery in Gombak, where he will be defending the seat for a fourth term at the Nov 19 polls.

"(I said) he could send his child or in-law or wife, although it's best he come himself. Still, he ran to Perak," he said in a jibe at Anwar who later announced he would stand in Tambun, Perak, against Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

Azmin said he did not consider Amirudin a threat, adding that the decision by his former party to name the Selangor menteri besar as its candidate in Gombak was part of a proxy war in PKR.

He also said he believed that Amirudin was forced to accept the task of unseating him.

The three-term Gombak MP expressed confidence of retaining the seat for another term, adding that voters should reject anyone who was forced to represent them.

"To be a leader and representative of the people of Gombak, there must be a commitment to fight for them," he said.

On Oct 28, PKR named Amirudin, seen as Azmin's protege when the latter was the party deputy president, as its candidate for the Gombak seat.

Azmin earlier said that Amirudin had called him last month to inform him of what he thought was the real agenda behind the move to field him in Gombak.

"He (Amirudin) said, 'I have been asked to stand in Gombak. I know, this is to slaughter me in Gombak'," Azmin said at an event hosted by PAS.

An aide to Amirudin, Jay Jay Denis, dismissed Azmin's claim as lies, although Amirudin himself confirmed that such a conversation had taken place, adding however that the remark was made in jest.