KUANTAN, Oct 29 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he was open to facing anyone in the contest for the Bera parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election (GE15).

Responding to PKR's announcement yesterday which placed Abas Awang as a candidate for the seat, Ismail Sabri, who is also the incumbent, said competition in any election was normal in a democratic country.

In fact, when met at the Keluarga Malaysia feast here, today, the Umno vice president said there was never a time he won the seat without being challenged.

Ismail Sabri was previously reported to have confirmed that he would be defending the Bera seat in GE15.

PKR in a ceremony yesterday to announce the names of its candidates for the elections also said that its president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would be moving from the Port Dickson parliamentary seat to contest the Tambun seat in GE15, while Hang Tuah Jaya seat incumbent Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin would be competing for the Bagan Datuk seat against Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Commenting on the seat transfers by PKR, Ismail Sabri said this was in contrast to Umno, where all incumbents were seen to be defending their seats.

"Perhaps they are not confident in the services they have provided to voters (in their constituencies) so far, which has led them to go to other places and make new promises in order to influence voters in the new place.

"They can't lie to the same set of voters, if they don't serve, they can't make any more promises, as the people won't believe them," he said.

Ismail Sabri said he had contested in Bera since 2004 and would still be contesting there for GE15.

"If you look at all the Umno candidates, we stay in the same place, because we have provided the best service all this while, so if we promise to provide any service they (voters) will believe us," he said. — Bernama