Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz is willing to 'bertumbuk' (engage in a fistfight) with any critics of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, including Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The party supreme council member clarified that he was ready to face any of them when he used the word 'bertumbuk'.

He was responding to former Kedah menteri besar and Mahathir’s son Mukhriz who said he would "fight" with Nazri in defence of his father.

This follows the minister’s call for the government to strip the former prime minister's police escort privileges.

Mukhriz, however. had urged Nazri to face him first instead of Mahathir.

At a press conference today, Nazri said he wanted the match to be conducted in a professional way.

"Okay, no problem, anytime," he said during his visit to Central Market in Kuala Lumpur.

"I do not understand, when Mahathir said 'makan dedak' (can be bought), we knew that not all Umno members 'makan dedak', but we understood him perfectly," he said.

"But, when I said there is no problem for me to 'bertumbuk', why did (they) take it seriously?" he asked.

"When I said is there is no problem for me to 'bertumbuk', it means let's have a match. But Malays have a low intellect. This is the problem now, as though he is smart and I am not," he said.

Nazri reiterated that he would urge the party to sack suspended deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin in the next supreme council meeting.

He said he would also suggest that the party sack vice-president Shafie Apdal and Mukhriz, who is Jerlun Umno division chief.

"I am waiting for a date to be set for the next supreme council meeting. I will submit a motion to have them sacked," he said.

Mukhriz had yesterday said he was prepared to face off with Nazri during a "Save Malaysia" ceramah.

"As Mahathir's son and a man, I am ready to face him. If he wants to 'bertumbuk' meet us first, it won't be easy," he said.

Mukhriz also chastised Nazri for "losing his mind" for threatening to fist fight his 91-year-old father.