GE14 | PAS' pick to contest in Langkawi is proud to be given the chance to contest against Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but admits he is a little relieved to be doing it when the former prime minister is no longer at the height of his political power.

Langkawi PAS chief Zubir Ahmad (above) said he was luckier than his comrades who have had to go against the Pakatan Harapan chairperson during the 22 years he helmed the nation's top post.

"I feel very proud to be facing someone as experienced as Tun Mahathir (in the 14th general election).

"My friends during the Reformasi (movement) faced Tun Mahathir when he was tough and strong, but my luck is a little better as I get to meet him (at the polls) when he has retired from his powerful position," Zubir told reporters at PAS headquarters in Temoyong, Langkawi, last night.

Zubir was announced as PAS' candidate for the hot seat, despite Gagasan Perkasa's previous arrangements to field a National Alliance Party (Ikatan) candidate, after the latter claimed to be unprepared to contest.

He will also be facing BN's Langkawi incumbent parliamentarian Nawawi Ahmad in the three-cornered fight.

Zubir has previously contested the Langkawi seat in 2004 general election, and the Ayer Hangat state seat in Langkawi in 2013 and 2008, but failed all three times.

Even so, he said he remained hopeful and is resolved to come out fighting.

"Those three contests during the past elections have become my best asset to rise and build up (my strengths) and to exploit the gap here.

"If you study past failures, all the great countries like Germany and Japan have also lost in war, but those losses became the starting point for their rise to ultimately becoming the advanced countries they are now," he said.

Prior to Zubir's selection as candidate, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had previously said Gagasan Sejahtera would field an "energetic" candidate to prevent an easy win for Mahathir or Nawawi.