DAP condemns intimidation, scare tactics against Seputeh MP

KUCHING (May 20): The Democratic Action Party (DAP) has condemned the intimidation and scare tactics perpetrated against the party’s Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

Its women chief and publicity secretary Teo Nie Ching said Kok had recently found a letter that contained a death threat and two bullets in her home mailbox, prompting her to file a police report.

“This act of violence not only is a threat of life to a sitting member of Parliament but also to a woman in public service.

“Teresa has chosen to bravely represent her people of Seputeh since 1999, devoting more than two decades of her life to improving the lives of her constituents, to speak truth to power and fight for the downtrodden, even when the tides were against her,” she said in a statement today.

As women, Teo said they are usually taught to confine themselves to duties as a mother and as a wife, that they are to only fulfil their potential at home.

“Even though those roles are deeply important, people like Teresa are a beacon of inspiration in showing that there are other paths to life where you can find meaning and purpose,” she added.

Teo said she is equally concerned that acts of violence like this will deter other women from joining politics.

According to her, there was a study in 2014 conducted by the United Nations (UN) Women and Centre for Social Research entitled “Violence against Women in Politics” which revealed that the insufficient implementation of laws, lack of support, the socio-economic divide and current power structures were the major reasons for violence.

She said the study also found that while the percentage of female voters and women candidates fielded by political parties had increased in all three countries – India, Nepal and Pakistan, the percentage of female representatives in national bodies had decreased.

She added that the study also found that more than 60 per cent of women did not participate in politics due to fear of violence.

“Hence, we as a society must do more to improve the environment in which women can thrive in public service. We cannot encourage more equal participation of gender without first increasing awareness and investing in more infrastructure for our women.

“Thus, more implementation of policies and legislation combating violence against women and more intercultural community dialogues between different genders, races and religions is needed to mitigate feelings of animosity and hate,” pointed out Teo.

To see a way forward, she hoped that Malaysians would never resort to violence as an answer regardless of differing opinions and views.

“I stand in solidarity with Teresa Kok and countless other women who have to bravely look violence in the face every day and still show up as their authentic selves,” she added.