The Ijok state seat by-election is shaping up to be a proxy battle between two deputy prime ministers - one axed, one current.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak fired the first salvo today by dismissing Anwar Ibrahim's ability to entice voters in the semi-urban Selangor seat - about 50km north of Kuala Lumpur.

"We are not afraid of Anwar," said Najib of the former deputy prime minister, who is now helming Parti Keadilan Rakyat's election campaign in Ijok in an attempt to wrest this seat from BN.

The by-election will see a straight fight between BN's Tanjung Karang MIC division secretary K Parthiban and PKR's treasurer and Selangor state chief Khalid Ibrahim.

The seat fell vacant following the sudden death of BN state representative K Sivalingam on April 4.

"We have faced Anwar before and we will continue to do our level best against him in Ijok," Najib told reporters at a press conference after the nomination period closed at the Dewan Orang Ramai Batang Berjuntai today.

The deputy BN chairperson also said that Anwar's campaigning in Malacca bore no success for opposition party DAP in the recently held by-election for the Machap state seat.

In that by-election, BN's Lai Meng Chong defeated DAP candidate Liou Chen Kuang to retain the seat but with a lower majority.

"We are confident that the people are with us as proven in Machap. Despite their (opposition) campaign there, people still voted for us," added Najib.

When asked about Anwar's comments that he would expose scandals linked to Najib, the deputy premier said: "We can expose a lot more about Anwar".

Mongolian scandal

Najib also said that he was not able to speak in detail about allegations of his involvement in the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu as the matter was pending in court.

"Whatever I said about the case yesterday was within the law. I don't want to go beyond that," he said.

Najib was quoted in the media today that opposition parties were spreading lies by linking him to the murder.

Najib also said that he has no plans to sue Anwar for the time being for linking him to the murder case.

"I don't have to sue him. I have the option to sue him but what's important is to let the law to take its course," he noted.

As Najib ended his press conference and was leaving the nomination hall with other BN leaders, the opposition supporters waiting outside greeted his appearance with loud boos and shouts of 'Mongolia' and 'Altantuya'.

Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered and her body blown to bits with explosives at a secondary forest near the Subang Dam at Puncak Alam, Shah Alam last October.

Chief inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar have been charged with murder, while political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda has been charged with abetting them.

Meanwhile, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail refuted claims that her party was resorting to personal attacks against Najib in the election campaign.

"These are issues that the rakyat want answers too. It is not personal attack," she told reporters at a separate press conference.

"Buying Sukhoi (fighter jet) is not just RM1 or RM2. Our country's image has also been marred by the (Altantuya) murder case," Wan Azizah, who is also Anwar's wife, added.

20-minute video: Anwar attacks Najib in Machap