INTERVIEW | With six ministers and four deputy ministers being women in the new Pakatan Harapan government, critics were quick to highlight the coalition’s failure to fulfil their pledge to have cabinet comprise at least 30 percent women.

However, like other Harapan women leaders, Yeo Bee Yin believes that the coalition has made great progress and that it is working hard towards eventually achieving its target in future elections.

The new energy, green technology, science, climate change and environment minister has expressed hope that more people will realise how having greater women representation at decision-making levels could benefit the country as a whole.

“To me having gender equality or more women's representation is not only about women's rights, but it has to do with making better decisions,” Yeo told Malaysiakini in an interview at her office today.

“There are a lot of studies which show that when there is more diversity in the decision-making process, better decisions are made,” said the 35-year-old, who counts the late US civil rights movement activist Rosa Parks among those who inspire her to continue speaking up for equality...