bangkit.net

We, the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) strongly urges YAB Tan
Sri Khalid Ibrahim and all the ADUNs of Selangor to give their full support
for the appointment of YB Teresa Kok as the Timbalan Menteri Besar of
Selangor.

Teresa has been a Member of Parliament since 1999. She is highly respected
and loved by her constituents. In the 2004 elections, Teresa won with an
impressive 11,000 plus vote-margin. This year she won again with a thumping
36,000 margin - the largest margin of the whole 12th General Elections.

Teresa’s experience in politics spans more than 18 years - from her days as
political secretary to Lim Kit Siang who was then the Opposition Leader. Her
wealth of knowledge is undisputable, having obtained a Masters of Philosophy
in Political Science. Her dedication to social issues ranges from her local
involvement as a social activist with Suaram, a human rights organisation,
to taking up an international campaign against repression in Myanmar. She
was also responsible for organising the recent conference of the ASEAN
Inter-Parliamentary Caucus on Good Governance held in our Parliament.

Teresa’s diplomacy and negotiation skills have been proven time and again.
She balances being outspoken with diplomacy, is learned and diligent.
Furthermore, she is respected by both the Opposition and Barisan Nasional
politicians, and played an important role as a member of the Select
Committee on the Review of the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.

JAG has had the pleasure of addressing the above Select Committee twice when
it went on the road, once in Kuala Lumpur and once in Penang. Later JAG was
invited by the Select Committee to make another presentation on several of
the key issues before the Committee. Teresa proved herself proficient with
both the issues and law pertaining to the matter at hand. She asked
pertinent and probing questions, and made substantial contribution to the
discussions.

Apart from Teresa’s undeniable knowledge, experience and boundless energy
which by itself should be the basis of her appointment as Timbalan Menteri
Besar, her appointment would also make good some of the promises made by the
component parties now forming the Selangor State Government.

Commitments have been made in the Ninth Malaysia Plan, Chapter 13 on Women
and Development to increase women’s participation as this will provide the
critical mass for gender issues to be included at political fora. In the
Women’s Agenda for Change, launched by JAG and 85 other NGOs in 1999, major
parties and eminent politicians endorsed the agenda which included having at
least 30% of women in key decision making positions.

Teresa’s appointment will signal that the Selangor State Government is ready
to embrace a new era. An era of equality and non-discrimination.

Selangor is a dynamic and economic giant in Malaysia. It also harbours many
urgent problems that require a ready, willing, astute, and firm leadership
which will not hesitate to do the right thing. This leadership must include
Teresa Kok as Timbalan Menteri Besar, who has demonstrated enormous
leadership in her years in politics.

A YES to YB Teresa Kok for Timbalan Menteri Besar of Selangor is a YES to
gender equality!

Issued by

Maria Chin Abdullah

Senior Programme Manager

Sisters in Islam

For and on behalf of the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG),
comprising:

All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)

Pusat Janadaya (Empower)

Sisters in Islam (SIS)

Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)

Women’s Center for Change (WCC), Penang