TERESA KOK - married to politics!

DAP Selangor chairman Teresa Kok's romance has always been of tremendous interest among the public.

"I am the rightful spokeswoman for bachelorship," she told Sin Chew Daily during an exclusive interview.

She said there are more and more unmarried women in Malaysia, and many think they may get more appropriate partners later and may then consider tying the knot.

While she did not rule out such possibility herself, she confessed there were more important things in her life than romance.

"The most important thing now is to retain Selangor state and capture the federal administration," she confided, adding that she would go all out to counteract BN's aggressive onset to wrestle Selangor.

Although she said she had yet to meet her Prince Charming, she was never alone as she had received continuous support from her family and fellow church goers.

Capability queried

Teresa admitted that she was humiliated before in the Parliament for being single, and that her capability was questioned.

"I've found that I have been targeted by people simply because I'm the only woman having contested in both a parliamentary and a state seat.

"They asked me whether I could handle this much and whether it would be too taxing for a woman like me.

"I think they were just trying to underestimate my capability."

Speculations are rife as to where Teresa Kok will contest in the upcoming general elections.

"Seputeh is where my political career started and there are no reasons for me to leave my old nest."

She explained that she contested in Kinrara state seat in 2008 with the objective of strengthening DAP in Selangor.

She nevertheless admitted that many people might be unhappy if she were to contest in both a parliamentary and a state seat again this time, but said she would choose to face and endure it with an open heart.

God and sleep

Teresa told Sin Chew Daily there were two ways for her to de-stress in the midst of her very busy work schedules.

She said her faith in God was of paramount importance to her; so was the support she received from her pastor and fellow church goers.

"Owing to my low blood pressure, I would attempt uphill jogging every week to help improve my blood circulation," she told Sin Chew Daily.

On top of that, Teresa said she would also make sure she had at least seven hours of sleep every day..

Although seven hours of sleep and jogging could be a luxury during election time, she said visiting her voters during campaign period was itself a very demanding physical exercise, adding that she would try to catch some sleep in the car while travelling from one place to another.

-Sin Chew Daily