K KANGSAR POLLS A former academician, who is eyeing the Kuala Kangsar parliament seat, may face an uphill task in winning the support of women voters.

Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary believes that men should lead women, and therefore questioned the qualifications of his two female opponents in contesting the seat.

"Males are more qualified, females are weak," said the 49-year-old former UiTM Perak lecturer, who, however, denied being a sexist.

"I don't trust females, because we believe men should lead women. They are not even the head in families, so how can they lead bigger things," he told reporters.

Based on this, Izat said he decided to offer himself as an alternative to the voters, apart from the other male candidate from Amanah, Ahmad Termizi Ramli.

"When I see the people were left with no choice when the leaders chose two women candidates, I decided to contest so that the people have a choice," he said.

"A leader should be a male," he stressed.

The two would be facing PAS's Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad and BN's Mastura Mohd Yazid.

Izzat also believed BN should not have fielded Mastura as she should be given time to mourn the death of her husband, Kuala Kangsar incumbent Wan Mohammad Khair-il Wan Ahmad.

He died in a helicopter crash in Sarawak last month, thus triggering this by-election.

Izzat also opined that Mastura should should focus on what caused her husband's death.

in the future, he added, she could be appointed as a senator, if she proved she can represent the people.

Izat, a 49-year-old unemployed, had contested and lost in the by-elections in Pengkalan Kubor in 2014 and Chempaka in 2015.

He was a lecturer of architecture, art and design in UiTM.