Wonder woman now ‘YB Press’

DAP members complain that Teresa Kok is more interested in entertaining the media than performing her job.

PETALING JAYA: Selangor DAP chief Teresa Kok has earned a new title – YB Press. She is seen courting the press more often than performing her job.

A party source told FMT recently that Kok would often call up members to make up the crowd whenever she attends a public function.

“When we call her to raise some issues on the ground she ignores our phone calls, but when she needs us to work on the ground, she would SMS us. She is not bothered about the grassroots members.”

“When we raise an issue she would ask us why are there so many problems,” the source said.

“But when it comes to public functions, she would always ensure that she receives media attention. That’s why we have a nickname for her – YB Press,” the source added.

Kok is also popularly known as “wonder woman” because she wears many hats. She is Seputeh MP, Kinrara assembly woman, and Selangor executive councillor. She also sits as a director in PKNS (Selangor State Development Corporation).

Within the party, she is Selangor DAP chief, national DAP organising secretary, and Wanita DAP’s national secretary.

According to the source, another reason for her frequent forays into the public arena was that she had to perform some of the duties of her colleagues.

DAP factions

For instance, Pandamaran state assemblyman Ronnie Liu, who adopted Sungai Pelek (a Barisan Nasional constituency), had appointed Wong Chuan Hou, a local DAP leader, to look after the seat.

But the source said Wong had failed to perform and so the local leaders preferred to contact Kok directly.

The Pakatan Rakyat government has been adopting seats won by BN since 2008.

“There are many issues… in Sungai Pelek but no one is paying any attention,” the source said.

It was only last year that the DAP leadership appointed Jenice Lee (Teratai assemblyperson) to take care of Sungai Pelek.

“There are many issues in Sungai Pelek. For example, no one is paying any attention to a 160-year-old Hindu temple there facing demolition,” the source said.

Making matters worse, there are also three DAP factions in Sungai Pelek.

The first group is led by Lwi Kian Kiong, a Sepang municipal councillor, who sits in the DAP state committee. He has the backing of Kok and Selangor DAP state secretary Ean Yong Hian Wah.

Unable to deal with PKR, PAS
The other faction, comprising the party’s parliamentary liaison committee chairman Titus Gladwyn and Wong, has the support of Liu.

The third faction in Sungai Pelek is led by Tan Tuan Tat (a grassroots leader aligned to Sungai Pinang state assemblyman and Selangor State Legislative Assembly speaker Teng Chang Kim).

Other constituencies in Selangor are also not satisfied with the performance of Kok. This is believed to be the result of factions in the party that cropped up in 2010.

On Nov 28, 2010, Kok, who led Team Unity, defeated Teng’s Rainbow for the 15 positions in the state committee.

Team Unity took seven seats while the Rainbow team clinched five. Kok, who finished 11th, was made state chairman while Liu was booted out.

Three neutral candidates – Lee, Hannah Yeoh (Subang Jaya state representative) and Klang MP Charles Santiago – secured the top three places.

Another grouse against Kok is that she is not able to deal with the other Pakatan members – PKR and PAS.

“She is unable to establish relationships with grassroots members of PKR and PAS. She still needs Teng to mediate with them,” said a party insider.

He also had a warning for Kok.

“If this goes on, don’t be surprised if DAP sits in the opposition bench in Selangor (come the nexct general election,” said the party insider.