Former member of parliament for Baling, Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim is prepared to contest the Kuala Ketil state seat, also in Kedah, in the coming 14th general election.

Mashitah, who is Malaysia Pondok Development Foundation (YPPM) executive chairman, said it was time for the Kuala Ketil constituency to be represented by a woman leader with a religious background as the area had many tahfiz and pondok schools.

"InsyaAllah (God willing), if given the opportunity, I am prepared to contest the state seat to fill up the quota of women candidates.

"I think we need to have women professionals, more so in Kedah where there are many religious institutions that need people with a religious background to lead so that the public would have confidence in what we speak on religion."

Mashitah said this when met by Bernama after a being a guest of Bernama Radio's 'Ala Carte Pagi' programme, here, today.

Mashitah, who won the Baling parliamentary seat in 2004, said efforts to enhance the role of women including raising the quota of women candidates to 30 per cent in GE14 had been voiced out at the last UMNO General Assembly and it was time for this to be realised in the coming GE14.

The KuaIa Ketil seat has been held by PAS since 2008.

-- BERNAMA