SHAH ALAM, March 11 — About seven in 10 women in Selangor, or 69.7 per cent, are part of the workforce, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said.
He said the statistics show that Selangor has exceeded the international standard of 30 per cent women participation in the workforce, with most of them in human resources, manufacturing and services.
The increase, he added, aligns with the Selangor Women’s Policy and Action Plan 2024-2026, which aims to bring more women into the job market and strengthen an inclusive ecosystem for all residents of the state.
“The participation rate of women in the workforce reaching 69.7 per cent has set a benchmark, indicating it is no longer a dogma or taboo subject,” he said.
“We must further boost women’s involvement in critical sectors such as engineering and leadership, which remains low, as well as improve workplace treatment of women,” he said.
He was speaking at a press conference today after witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the Jelajah Wanita MyWIRA initiative between Wanita Berdaya Selangor (WBS) and TalentCorp. Also present was Human Resources Minister Steven Sim.
Amirudin said apart from necessity and talent, the rising number of women in the workforce is also driven by economic pressures requiring both husbands and wives to work.
On Jelajah Wanita MyWIRA, he said the collaboration with the Human Resources Ministry and TalentCorp is crucial to ensuring that women in Selangor, particularly those from low- and middle-income groups, receive the support, skills and opportunities they need to progress.
The programme, scheduled to run from April to November, will cover all 56 state constituencies in Selangor, serving as a platform to connect women with job opportunities and workforce integration support at all levels.
Meanwhile, Sim said the initiative aims to empower 1.4 million women aged 20 to 44 in Selangor by providing direct access to empowerment opportunities and employment incentives under the Madani government.
“We will also expand this programme to other states. Besides encouraging more women to return to work, it serves as a platform to promote various government incentives, such as tax relief for career returnees and flexible work arrangements that benefit both women and men,” he said.
— Bernama
