MARCH 8 — Happy Women’s Day!
Malaysia has assumed the Asean Chairmanship in 2025, we must confront a crucial reality-are we ready to lead on gender equality while ranking among the lowest globally?
When the Philippines held the Asean chairmanship in 2017, it ranked 10th out of 144 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report — higher than any other Asia-Pacific country except New Zealand. Then, Malaysia ranked 70th out of 144 — decently placed in the global gender scale.
In 2024 Malaysia plunged to 114th place — a 44 place drop in seven years.
The Philippines’ 2017 chairmanship offered valuable lessons. By prioritising a gender equality in development strategies for decades before, the nation has produced two female presidents — Corazon Aquino (1986–1992) and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2001–2010) — while Indonesia had its female president, Megawati Sukarnoputri (2001–2004).
Malaysian women held 13.51 per cent of the seats in the Dewan Rakyat, Malaysia’s House of Representatives, with 30 out of 222 parliamentarians being women. In 2024 we were placed 150th out of 190 countries in the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) global ranking for women’s representation in national parliaments.
Despite years of advocacy, Malaysia has yet to elect a female prime minister, chief minister or menteri besar. Meanwhile countries like Bangladesh, Thailand, Singapore had women in top leadership roles.
Why? Political parties often prioritise loyalty and electability over merit, sidelining capable women who can contribute meaningfully to nation-building. If Malaysia aspires to leave a lasting impact during its Asean Chairmanship, it must take concrete actions beyond tokenism.
Malaysia is not short of talent. It is time to select leaders from a broader pool instead of limiting choices due to systematic barriers.
Promoting women’s leadership at national, regional, and international levels is not just about fairness — it is about progress.
Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, played a pivotal role in founding Asean, and championing unity and equality beyond national borders.
As far back as the 1950s, Malaya’s pioneering women were the architects of political and social transformation. Long before the nation’s independence, Kaum Ibu, Umno’s women’s wing, ignited the fight for women’s rights. Under the formidable leadership of Khadijah Sidek, the members defied the odds, ensuring Malayan women not only gained the right to vote but also the right to contest in elections by 1955 — a legacy of courage that still echoes today.
That movement was driven by passion, dedication, and a genuine concern for women’s issues.
Malaysia must break free from bureaucratic inertia and transform the Asean 2025 Women’s Economic Forum into a powerhouse of influence. — Bernama pic
In January 2001, Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad established the Women’s Affairs Ministry with only four staff members and an uncertain road plan. Within a few years, it expanded into the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development, addressing a wide spectrum of issues — from children and women to senior citizens and disaster victims.
The Ministry continued to grow, with numerous departments, institutions, welfare homes, and childcare centers, reaching 10,000 staff. Under the leadership of Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (2001–2012), Malaysia hosted the first Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Women Ministerial Meeting in 2005, resulting in the NAM Putrajaya Declaration and the NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women (NIEW).
Despite this momentum, women’s issues have taken a backseat in the past decade. Institutions and pillars of empowerment that the Ministry built were gradually dismantled.
“We must not take our foot off the pedal on women’s economic empowerment. To be effective, there needs to be greater cross-pillar coordination between the Economic and Socio-Cultural pillars,” Tan Sri Dr. Rebecca Sta Maria, Director of IDEAS, aptly stressed.
She also suggested that women’s empowerment should be elevated to a standalone Asean pillar rather than being housed under the Asean Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). This shift would ensure sustained attention and structured policies that drive long-term gender inclusivity across all Asean initiatives.
Perhaps, Malaysia should take the bold step of spearheading a new Asean pillar dedicated solely to streamline credible political leadership, gender-responsive budgeting and policy advocacy.
Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship is more than just about a leadership role — it is an opportunity to reshape the region’s gender equality landscape. With firm commitments to real reform, Malaysia can turn its shortcomings into a catalyst for regional progress.
Malaysia must break free from bureaucratic inertia and transform the Asean 2025 Women’s Economic Forum (WEF) into a powerhouse of influence.
At this late hour, we must identify a Women’s Economic Leadership Council — a force of experienced, results-driven women who can catalytically drive real change at the WEF forum.
A nationwide talent search would surely uncover hidden female leaders, appointing them to decision-making roles with measurable KPIs. A Women’s Economic Intelligence Unit must be established to shape policies with our easily available data, and recommend a cross-generational-mentorship network to accelerate leadership training regionally.
Malaysia did in NIEW on an international level, 20 years ago. We can leverage that experience.
The underrepresentation of women in Malaysia’s parliament highlights the need for measures to promote gender parity in political participation. Today, as Asean Chair, Malaysia can has a historic opportunity by making gender parity and equality a cornerstone of regional progress.
Asean 2025 is Malaysia’s moment to prove that action — not rhetoric — defines leadership.
If Malaysia fails to address its gender disparities while chairing Asean, it risks reinforcing the perception that gender equality is merely a political afterthought.
History will remember whether Malaysia rose to this occasion or let it slip away. If it leads with conviction, it can set a new regional standard for inclusivity and progress.
