M'sian minister Hannah Yeoh confirms divorce after 18 years of marriage

Malaysian politician and minister Hannah Yeoh has announced her divorce from her husband, Ramachandran Muniandy, on Sep. 2.

According to her website, the two were married in 2008, shortly before she began to run for public office. They have two children, born in 2011 and 2013.

They were married for 18 years.

Yeoh's press secretary, Ahmad Fazli Mohd Yadi, confirmed the divorce but did not give further details, reported The Star.

He asked the public to give Yeoh space following the announcement. 

Who is Hannah Yeoh?

Yeoh, 47, is currently Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories).

She oversees the territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan, and is a Member of Parliament (MP) for Segambut, a constituency in Kuala Lumpur. 

She previously served as the Minister of Youth and Sports from 2022 to 2025, and as the Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development from 2018 to 2020.

Yeoh is a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which was formed in 1965 by ex-People's Action Party members.

The Star reported that she became the Speaker of the Selangor Legislative Assembly in 2013, gaining fame as the first woman, as well as the youngest person, to hold such a legislative post.

Yeoh's husband, Muniandy, is the CEO and co-founder of Asia Mobiliti, a transit and mobility technology company.

Past controversies

Aside from the political portfolio that she quickly amassed, Yeoh has been the subject of various controversies in Malaysian politics.

Yeoh and Muniandy came under scrutiny in 2024 after Asia Mobiliti was awarded a government contract in Selangor.

According to Malaysian news outlet SCOOP, the contract was awarded to the firm without an open tender, sparking allegations about a lack of transparency and preferential treatment.

Muniandy claimed his firm had distinguished itself through a meritocratic process.

The Selangor government also defended the decision by stating that Asia Mobility was selected after receiving approval from the Land Public Transport Agency, reported New Straits Times.

In 2025, when Yeoh was appointed federal territories minister, a United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) youth leader Aliff Fidaus claimed that her appointment raised concern in the Malay community.

UMNO Secretary-General Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki further asserted that there was strong social media controversy about her ascension to the role, given that she was a Chinese MP from the DAP. 

Yeoh does not speak Mandarin, but is fluent in Malay, English, and Cantonese.