Nurul’s statement could be due to her upbringing - Teresa Kok

SHAH ALAM - Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said the “women are not born to be a leader [sic]” remark made by Datuk Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid which left many dumbfounded might be due to the latter's upbringing.

Kok said the statement which was made during an interview with Sinar Daily had came out ‘very naturally’ from the Umno president’s daughter probably because it was something that was ingrained in her thoughts from the beginning.

Recalling her days as an intern at a media organisation, Kok said she was told by her editor that women should not bother about politics and that it was more important for a woman to find a good husband and only take care of the children.

"It comes back to what we have learnt when we were young. Half a century ago, my mother told me that I should be a teacher so that I could take care of my family and work.

"That was 40 years ago and now the mindset have been perpetuated generation to generation.

“So I believe that Nurul’s parents might have told her the same thing where women should just stay at home, to find a good husband and take care of the children.

“When she was asked about women and leadership, she came up with that statement very naturally and she tried to deny it but its difficult to deny because this is ingrained in her thoughts,” she said.

She said there were some young women who were living in such mindsets until now.

Kok was speaking as a panelist on Sinar Daily's talk show Wacana English Edition entitled “Women: Not Born To Be Leaders?”, today.

On Wednesday a Politically Frank clip of Nurulhidayah had gone viral sparking anger and confusion when she said “women are not born to be a leader [sic]”.

It had garnered responses not only from female users but also the opposite gender including comedians Dr Jason Leong and Harith Iskander.

Amidst the massive backlash, Nurul had responded the next day with a Quranic verse and clarified that she only meant it for top leadership positions such as the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Menteri Besar and others in the same rank.

She said parliamentarians, state assemblymen or even a company owner were a non-issue for women.

The next day after the episode was aired, MQ Technology Bhd announced that Nurul was now its new vice chairman effective immediately.

The 44-year old is also the daughter of Umno president and former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

She has contested for various party positions in the past but lost.