The Malaysian Insight is commemorating 10 years after the pivotal March 8, 2008 general election which paved the way for a two-party system in Malaysia. What was it like then, for those in the thick of political change, and where are they now? Selangor Speaker Hannah Yeoh kicks off the series. 

SWEPT into public office by an unexpected wave of voter discontent against the government, Hannah Yeoh was only 29 years old when she became an assemblyman 10 years ago.

Looking back on her inexperience and campaign for the 2008 general election, which is now marked as a watershed moment for Malaysian politics, the Selangor speaker and Subang Jaya rep has identified grooming young people for politics and leadership as one of her more important tasks.

She sees the 14th general election, expected to be held soon, as crucial to “turning the nation around” following the momentum for regime change which started two elections ago. 

The 2008 polls saw the ruling Barisan Nasional lose its two-thirds majority in Parliament, a reduced share of the popular vote and ushered in Pakatan Rakyat-led governments in four additional states. 

Yeoh said she is very encouraged to see greater political consciousness among young people now.

“What is rewarding is that the children I saw back in 2008 are now in college and some of them are in my internship programmes and are registered voters.

“In another 10 years, the next generation of teenagers will become adults and they are going to pay the price if things don’t turn around. Life will be more difficult for them.

“My role is not to complete it (the fight against corruption) but to prepare the next generation to finish the task,” she told The Malaysia Insight at a cafe in Subang Jaya.

The 39-year-old mother of two girls actively engages young people through church youth group meetings, colleges and through her office’s internship programme.

“The internship programme is a good way to get youth involved. They can learn what an assemblyman does and use this passion in a positive way to move this nation forward.”

In line with her focus on youth, the lawyer said politicians should never overstay but allow new blood to take over.

“We should never think this is our birth right. It becomes problematic when they (politicians) think it’s their birth right to be given a seat and remain in politics.

“We are here to cater to the people’s needs and if politicians can’t perform, then they should make way. I can only remain in politics as long as the people want me.”

Yeoh, who is holding the Subang Jaya seat for a second term, won by 13,851 votes in 2008 and 28,069 votes in 2013. 

‘If I quit, the corrupt will benefit’

Yeoh has become one of her party DAP’s most recognisable young faces due to her work in Subang Jaya, her appeal among youth and as Malaysia’s first woman speaker of a legislative assembly.

She said she was influenced into joining politics by her friend, Edward Ling. Yeoh, a former lawyer and event manager, also felt the need for a stronger opposition.

“At that time in Selangor, out of the 56 seats only two were opposition, under DAP. So, when I was told to run for assemblyman, I decided to do it because, first, Subang Jaya is my home, and second, I feel for this place.

“If you see in the last 10 years, there have been changes where the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) is free from scandals, such as getting contracts for projects.

“You don’t hear about DAP getting any contract here. There is no more these (kinds of) dealings.”

Starting out in politics from an apolitical background was a shock to the system for the then 29-year-old. Her older self now describes the young candidate then as “fresh, very inexperienced and naive”.

“In the last 10 years, I have matured a lot and my capacity to endure stress is a lot better now.

“Towards the end of my first term, I had a personal revelation to not give up. There is still a lot of work to be done and if I throw in the towel, the only people who will benefit are the corrupt.

“So, there is no time to think about quitting. I will continue as long as I’m needed.”

Despite gloomy predictions on the election outcome for the opposition Pakatan Harapan, Yeoh said she is unperturbed.

“The analysts are saying that it’s too difficult (for the opposition) and nothing is going to change.

“They are saying that you can have the crowd at the rally but they won’t vote for us as we have cut ties with PAS.

“But we have Amanah and Bersatu and so it’s all untested ground. I remain optimistic and I don’t believe in all the analysts’ reports because no one knows the extent of change that can happen until the election happens.”

From one high to another

At 34, after the 2013 elections, Yeoh became the first woman and the youngest person to become a legislative assembly speaker in Selangor and in the country.

“The first two weeks were nerve-racking simply because I wasn’t sure if I would be able to control the house.

“But once I had a feel of the place, I became more comfortable.

“In the last five years, being the head of the state legislature has given me a lot of freedom to push forward whatever reform is needed.

“It’s good to see that one of the reforms I wanted, to empower the opposition, was cast in stone through the standing orders,” she said, referring to the Selangor assembly’s move to enhance the role of the state opposition in line with parliamentary practice elsewhere – steps not even the Malaysian Parliament has taken.

In 2014, the Selangor legislature amended its standing orders to make it mandatory for the leader of the opposition to chair the Public Accounts Committee.

The opposition leader is also granted special privileges, while opposition time was introduced as a permanent fixture in the house for the opposition leader to address the assembly. 

Yeoh said she received lot of support from former Selangor speaker Teng Chang Kim and that being a woman had no bearing on her being appointed to the post.

“It was not given to me because I’m a woman but because of my performance as an assemblyman. It was based on merit.

“I also had a lot of support from DAP and PKR and including the BN assemblymen but sometimes they label me anti-Islam when I reject the issues that they raised.”

Life has not gotten easier just because she is 10 years more experienced than when she first started. Motherhood has added to the daily challenge of being wife, assemblyman and speaker but Yeoh said that delegating tasks is key to getting work done.

“Delegation is very important and what we need are able assistants who help take care of issues as an assemblyman’s work is very time consuming.” – March 8, 2018.