Yeoh said she would take it as a sign of respect if the ministry’s programmes were carried out successfully.

“Every one of our policies and programmes must be data-driven initiatives so as to be effective for our target groups or stakeholders,” Yeoh was quoted as saying by Bernama.

She said this in her first message to the ministry’s staff six weeks after being at the helm.

Yeoh said that she and her deputy Adam Adli did not need staff to wait on them for hours or bow to them.

She also called for an increase in low-cost programmes that would have a big impact on the majority of the people, especially in rural areas.

Yeoh also urged the ministry’s staff to hold fewer events on Sundays so that they would have time to rest and spend the day with their families.