KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Women’s participation as board members in the top 100 companies listed on Bursa Malaysia and government-linked companies (GLCs) has risen significantly, reaching 32.2 per cent as of October 10 compared to 25.5 per cent in 2021.
Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said female board representation in other companies also increased from 16.9 per cent in 2021 to 25.4 per cent last year.
She credited this progress to the Securities Commission’s updates to the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance 2021, which encouraged publicly listed companies to ensure at least 30 per cent of their board members are women.
“This achievement exceeds the government’s target of 30 per cent female board representation by 2025 set in the 12th Malaysia Plan,” Nancy said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
She was responding to Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Madius Tangau’s query on measures to ensure that the policy of 30 per cent of women on the board of directors, especially in GLCs, is met.
Meanwhile, the minister highlighted that women’s involvement in politics remains a challenge, as evidenced by their representation in Parliament.
To address this, Nancy said the ministry has launched the 2024 Women’s Leadership Apprenticeship Programme, which aimed to boost women’s participation in various fields such as economics and politics.
“This programme is part of our efforts to expand women’s involvement in all national activities. While it has already commenced, it will be officially launched by the end of this year,” she said.
— Bernama
