GENTLY cradling her swollen belly, DAP candidate for Labis parliamentary seat Teo Eng Ching is a sight to behold each time she walks around greeting voters.

Not only is she seven months pregnant, this gutsy lady has astonishingly taken on the challenge of a general election campaign in her stride.

Teo admitted that although she was often left exhausted by midnight with the gruelling demands of the campaign, she has no plans to call it quits. She is standing against Chua Tee Yong, 31, son of former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Teo, however, said that the timing of the election was perfect as she had passed her first trimester of pregnancy, which had been difficult with her bouts of nausea and erratic food cravings.

She added that she was grateful that her cravings had passed and that the election would be over before she entered the eighth month of her pregnancy.

"Now I will eat whatever is put before me. Besides the tiredness, swollen feet and lack of rest, the only other challenge I face is that the baby is very active and keeps kicking me hard, especially when I travel on rural roads to the orang asli settlements," she said laughing, adding that she often consumed Chinese herbal and traditional soups to strengthen herself.

Teo, who holds a Masters degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine, said she derived her biggest support from her husband Chang Teck Chee, 32.

He is contesting right by her side for the Bekok state seat in Segamat against incumbent and acting Johor MCA chairman Tan Kok Hong, 56.

Chang, who was with her on their campaign rounds, said that although they were busy with the election, they were excitedly awaiting the birth of their first child in May, a daughter they planned to name on Le Xi, which means 'a bright and happy dawn'.