PKR will face a tough fight in the Gombak, Pandan and Lembah Pantai seats in the coming general election, warned its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

During a ceramah in Bandar Baru Sentul last night, Anwar warned party members to be vigilant in the three Selangor and Kuala Lumpur seats featuring PKR heavyweights including his daughter.

anwar ceramah in johor bharu live streaming 230313 “Umno’s focus is that they must defeat (deputy president) Azmin Ali in Gombak, (director of strategy) Rafizi Ramli in Pandan and (vice-president) Nurul Izzah in Lembah Pantai,” said Anwar.

In 2004, Azmin defeated BN’s Said Anuar Said Ahmad with a 6,867 majority.

Nurul Izzah caused an upset in Lembah Pantai, unseating Umno Wanita chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil with a 2,895 margin.

Rafizi is making his electoral debut in former MCA president Ong Tee Kiat’s stronghold.

It is however unclear if BN will field Ong in the coming polls as party chief Chua Soi Lek has other plans.

GE13 slander season beckons

Anwar also said he expects more slander against him to surface in the coming weeks.

“I have received information from Prime Minister Najib Razak’s side, that in two more weeks there will be more trouble (for me).

NONE “His abuse and slander will be more fantastic, more terrible.

“They want to create a crisis of confidence (against me) and they do not care whether (the allegations) are true or not.”

“All they want is to create some doubt (in the people’s minds),” he said.

This month alone, Umno-linked blogger Papagomo has threatened to release another sex video linked to the leader, following the Datuk T sex video fiasco last year and a subsequent blog’s sex video threat that fizzled out.

Similar threats against Nurul Izzah and Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim have also surfaced this month.

‘Tian Chua innocent’

Anwar spoke for 45 minutes during the PKR ceramah in the Batu constituency, to a Malay majority audience considered the largest voting pocket where PKR vice-president Tian Chua is the incumbent.

He maintained Chua’s innocence in the sedition charge over alleged comments on the Lahad Datu armed intrusion.

NONE On March 14 the Batu MP was charged with sedition for allegedly commenting in party organ Suara Keadilan that the Sabah crisis was an Umno conspiracy.

"If it is true (that Chua made the remarks), and it is proven, trust me, I would take disciplinary action against him. The party will take action," he told the 3,000-strong crowd.

Anwar added that Chua will defend the parliamentary seat in the coming polls.

Chua ( left ) then took to the stage and said to prove his innocence, he has asked Suara Keadilan not to remove the article where he had allegedly made the remarks.

"I want people to be able to see (the report) when they search on the Internet.

azlan “My statement was in reference to the government's initial inaction on the intruders for three weeks, including the home minister's statement that the intruders are not terrorists," he said.

He stressed that he would never belittle the police force.

"In (my) 15 years being part of protests, and fighting for justice, I have never encouraged anyone who was with me to harm or speak badly about any policeman," he said.

"I don't how you (the people of Batu) feel. Your MP has been on television every day (over the charge). I don't know if that's something you can be proud of," he said to a rather muted response.

However the crowd’s initial reception when they welcomed him on stage suggests they are still sympathetic to their MP.

Chua won Batu in 2008 beating Gerakan’s Lim Si Pin by 9,445 votes.

While the Chinese constitute a generous 41 percent of the voter base, the 44 percent Malay block remains crucial for Chua to obtain a comfortable win.