KUALA LUMPUR: Segambut member of parliament Hannah Yeoh has seen a rapid rise in her political career over the past few years.
The DAP assistant publicity secretary joined the party in 2006, winning the Subang Jaya state seat in Selangor just two years later, retaining it in 2013.
That year, she was appointed Selangor legislative assembly speaker, creating history as she was not only the youngest speaker, but the first woman to hold the position in any state.
It was a position she would hold till 2018, when she was given the task of contesting the Segambut parliamentary seat, which she won.
With Pakatan Harapan then in power, she was appointed deputy women, family and community development minister.
Yeoh, 43, received her early education at SK Subang Jaya and SMK Subang Utama, before continuing her studies at the University of Tasmania in Australia where she obtained her law degree in 2001.
When she was a deputy minister, Yeoh was vocal on issues involving child marriages, the enactment of the sexual harassment law and stateless children.
She had also suggested a new ministry be created to look after the needs of children in the country.
In the 15th General Election on Nov 19, Yeoh defended her Segambut seat by defeating her two contenders, V. Prabagaran (Perikatan Nasional) and Daniel Ling Sia Chin (Barisan Nasional) with a healthy 59,684-vote majority. — Bernama
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