Women’s rights groups in Malaysia have called on Pakatan Harapan to fulfil its promise of minimum 30% representation at the highest policy-making body in Malaysia. PM Tun Mahathir’s cabinet, however, only has nine women: five full ministers (see below) and four deputy ministers. The deputy ministers include Hannah Yeoh (Women, Family and Community Development), Teo Nie Ching (Education), Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Energy, Green Technology, Science and Climate Change) and Fuziah Salleh (Prime Minister’s Department/Islamic Affairs).

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's childhood ambition was to become a doctor and cure disease. Now that she is Malaysia's most powerful female politician, she says her mission is to improve women's rights.

The 65-year-old made history this month when she was named Malaysia's deputy prime minister. She is the first woman to hold the post, and one of only a handful of female politicians in high public office in Southeast Asia.

A women-only-additional-seats system is the most feasible, fastest and least contentious way of accelerating women’s participation in formal politics, says