PAS Muslimat wants to contest at least 24 seats in the next general election - one state and one parliamentary seat in each peninsular state for the women candidates from the party.

The wing's election director Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud told reporters at its muktamar in Shah Alam today that this target had been made known to the leadership of the states, and they have expressed "willingness" to meet this target.

NONE "We have a pool of Muslimat candidates and we have the seats (considered suitable for women candidates to contest), but the problem is matching the two," Siti Mariah  ( left ) said.

While the target is short of the 30 percent set by other parties, the figure was decided because it was practical and workable.

"In 2004, we fielded 13 candidates and only one won," she said, adding that in Parliament, Pakatan Rakyat was closer to reaching the 30 percent target for female participation, compared with the BN.

Siti Mariah said the target did not include Sabah and Sarawak, where PAS is less established, but it was up to the leadership of the two states to nominate as many female candidates as they wanted.

"Like in the Sarawak polls, two of the five candidates that PAS fielded were women," she said.

Rantau Panjang parliamentarian Siti Zailah Yusoff added that the women candidates fielded must have the blessings of their husbands or families, good morals, be able to speak up for the rakyat and fit the requirements of the location where they will be contesting.