GE14: Shahrir puts gloves on to face opposition heavyweights

"Initially, I predicted the GE14 to be plain sailing. But then I hear these things about people coming to Johor including Khalid Abd Samad (Shah Alam MP), so I thought, since everyone is interested in Johor, I too want to be in the game and face them in any situation."

Shahrir told reporters this after a '4 All' dialogue here last night, which was also attended by UMNO Information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who is also MCA deputy president.

The Felda chairman was commenting on the opposition's plan to make Johor as a "frontline state" in GE14.

He reiterated that he would not retreat but was ready to face off with any formidable candidate from the opposition in the parliamentary constituency.

"With their Mahathir (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad)... their Anwar (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) and their Muhyiddin (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin), and Kit Siang (Lim Kit Siang)..

"They all want to make Johor as their frontline state, so I cannot just retreat," he said.

Meanwhile, Annuar said the culture of hopping from one place to another to contest in the general election was not a culture that Barisan Nasional (BN) preferred.

"Frontline state for us (BN) means all the states because we want to govern Malaysia. For us it is not a question of hinging on just one state.

"We don't go for Lim Kit Siang's way of politics. He repays voters by uprooting himself when he is no longer interested in serving them. But let the voters judge his action," he said.

On the '4 All' dialogue programme, Annuar who is also Ketereh MP said it would further be held in 15 other areas in Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Sabah.

He said the programme was ongoing, to involve 100 parliamentary constituencies nationwide.

"Ever since its launch, we have stepped up audience momentum to thousands ( live on Facebook) and this development is indeed very heartening," he said.