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31-year old Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan is a member of the Selangor (Subang Jaya) State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) from the Democratic Action Party (DAP). She won the seat by defeating Barisan Nasional 's (BN) Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) candidate with 13,851 majority during the March 2008 general election.
Born in Subang Jaya, Hannah graduated in 2001 from University of Tasmania in Australia in Law Study. She joined DAP in 2006 after being prompted by a friend who then acted as her political secretary. She chose to join the DAP as she felt that the party's political stance has been the most consistent, despite its leaders been constantly harassed by the threat of detention without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Before entering politics Hannah practised law and also ran an event management company. She then decided to quit job and become a full time politician as she want to focus for the 2008 General Election.
Malaysian Digest caught up with the young politician to hear what she has to say about issues that has cropped up in recent times.
Malaysian Digest: How do you feel about Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s administration since he became Prime Minister?
Hannah Yeoh: Datuk Seri Najib has purposefully sought to brand his administration with a catchy slogan and marketing strategy. We have come to see that’s where the inherent problem lies. It’s too much style over a dearth of substance. Policies are not being reformed; the approaches being adopted to our country’s social, religious, economic and political issues are in fact regressing, and the ills of the nation (corruption, systemic abuse of power, weak and compromised institutions of the state, discrimination, and many more) are not being confronted. Najib’s administration is simply laying a bigger, more colourful carpet called 1Malaysia to sweep all these problems under.
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MD: How do you feel about the outcome of the last General Election in March 2008?
HY: Well there is no saying that I’m extremely satisfied, as Pakatan Rakyat obtained five states; although Perak was subsequently subject to a coup, resulting in only four states now. Nonetheless, this still calls for a celebration because this marks the beginning of a new epoch where Malaysians can taste and see the difference of a two-party system. Thus, I feel that this brings hope and a new beginning; a turning point if you must call it, for the people of Malaysia.
How do you see the outcome of the next general election?
To be honest, it would certainly be a real tough fight, especially when we’re on the verge of establishing a viable two-party system and people now have a clearer picture of the different administrations at state level. With that, people can now vote with a clearer mind and perspective, knowing what they want and who they want representing them in their country. People will no longer vote blindly anymore. It is down to the Federal Government versus the State Government – which type of government will the people choose?
What are the positive and negative changes you have seen since the last General Election?
The positive changes I’ve seen would definitely be the growing political awareness among Malaysians. The scales have fallen off the people’s eyes causing them to be more politically-informed. The people have gained a measure of empowerment which has long been missing, robbed from Malaysians by the BN regime.
Conversely, the negative changes that arise after the elections would be certain abuses of this newfound freedom and openness by a select group of people. The people, without a doubt want to be heard and to feel the satisfaction of their voice and thoughts being given the room and appropriate avenue of being heard by the public as well as their leaders. However, certain parties have resorted to abusing this power by only wanting to be heard but not lifting a finger to participate and shoulder a collective responsibility of re-building this nation.
What is 1Malaysia to you and how do you feel about this initiative by our Prime Minister?
1Malaysia is decades too late. In this independent and multicultural country, the Malaysia formed in 1963 had to be a ‘one Malaysia for all’ from the date of its birth. This 1Malaysia catchphrase is in fact exposing the fact that the ruling BN coalition which has ruled our nation from even before 1963 till present time, has failed in the most basic goal of building a nation of one people. This has been brought about specifically by the racial-profiling policies of UMNO and its fellow racial component parties of BN, who deemed it fit to divide-and-rule people. Thus to salvage this massive issue of a divided nation, the 1Malaysia campaign is conceptualized.
Do you feel there’s improvement in racial unity despite our diversity of cultures and religions in recent times or were we more cohesive in the past (during our parent’s time)?
Regretfully, Malaysians today are generally becoming more racially predisposed as compared to the past. The issue of race is present everywhere you turn; from the language, beliefs, culture and skin colour. But it should not be so. This has been brought about by race-based politics as it continues to remind people to vote for leaders of their own race every four to five years. Thus, racial unity will remain an ideal which is unachievable under such a policy, no matter what slogan is used to imply unity. We need to reclaim the past, and build for the future anew.
What’s your stand with regards to race politics?
By now, I think my stand on this is pretty clear. For Malaysia to grow and rebuild itself, race-based politics must be eradicated.
Do you think sex education should be implemented extensively in our schools?
Yes, I think that it should be implemented because a lot of teenagers, based on statistics, are starting to become sexually active at a younger age. These teenagers are turning to the Internet for their ‘sex education’. This is not something that can be denied in Malaysian schools any longer. However, sex education should be taught by trained educators who can give accurate, helpful information with the aim of not just disseminating information, but moulding a healthy individual with a healthy and admirable disposition towards issues of sexual health.
What are some changes you’d like to see in this country and its administration?
I would like to see a more equitable environment. I would also like to see a more transparent governing system where unbiased enforcement is practiced when the law is being broken. Right now, our country is poisoned with corruption and lawlessness will persist as long as corruption is rampant.
What’s your take on the New Economic Policy?
Technically, the NEP has been discontinued, replaced with a different-sounding policy. Even some BN politicians will tell you that. But the subverted policies derived from the NEP are entrenched in the system. It is these abusive practices which we as a nation is challenged to eliminate.
More and more people are criticizing our education system nowadays. If there is a need for a reform, what kind of changes should we be looking into?
Firstly, it has to move away from the archaic, rote-learning, exam-oriented methodology. Students need a lot more space for them to think critically and just be free to express and develop inherent talent. Secondly, an improved syllabus incorporating cutting-edge skills and subject matter would help in terms of us catching up globally with other first world countries. Thirdly, we must strive to produce excellent educators who are passionate and knowledgeable in their field of major. We must do away with mass-producing teachers, expecting each one to teach Physical Education, History, English Language and Civic Education moderately well. We need expert teachers, not a ‘jack-of-all-trade’ kind. Lastly, there should be better resources and infrastructure to cope and support all the requirements mentioned above.
What is your take on the issue of ‘Allah’ word usage by non-Muslim?
It is a problem which has its roots in the Ministry of Home Affairs and not within the religious groups. The Home Minister has ignited this controversy and escalated the problem to be bigger than it actually is over the last couple of years. Christians in East Malaysia have been using that word for centuries without any problems whatsoever. There are double standard issues at play here between East Malaysia and West Malaysia. Within the context of “1Malaysia”, how do they rationalize this apparent double-standard? See what I mean here, this slogan of “1Malaysia” has not helped us in our discourse of this problem. Where is the substance behind this administration?
What is your take on Goods and Service Tax (GST) which will be implemented by the government sooner?
Presently, only a small portion of Malaysians are paying taxes, thus there is still ignorance in the majority who aren’t paying taxes. By implementing GST without an accompanying increase in the overall standard of living and affordability of goods and services, it will definitely prove to be a heavier burden across the board for the people. The GST proposal cannot feasibly stand on its own. It must be a product of certain healthy economic indicators, which Malaysia does not possess at this moment.
What do think about ‘Middle Malaysia’ which was introduced by the DAP party?
I think that it should at least be given a chance to prove its worth. It is not as catchy a slogan, but it’s not meant to be a slogan. It’s a position to be taken, which will determine the policies in governance and administration.
What do you think about Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial so far?
Maliciously orchestrated. Basic tenets of law and justice are not being adhered to. Related News
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