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EMPOWERING women in trade and industry is no longer simply a matter of equity but an “economic imperative” for ASEAN’s future growth and stability, Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry has said.
Delivering the keynote address at the Forum on Unleashing the Power of Women in ASEAN: Trade and Industry Across Borders, held in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz called for stronger regional action to remove barriers facing women entrepreneurs.
“This forum is a testament to our collective commitment to a shared vision – one where women are not just participants, but leaders and drivers of the ASEAN economy,” he told delegates gathered at MITI Tower.
Highlighting research from Malaysia’s Department of Statistics, Tengku Zafrul noted that women-owned enterprises contributed RM137 billion to the national gross output in 2022, with over 219,000 active establishments recorded.
“These numbers speak volumes. Women’s empowerment in trade and industry is not just social justice – it is smart economics,” he said, citing international findings that narrowing gender gaps in labour force participation could raise GDP by up to 20 per cent in some economies.
The forum, jointly hosted by MITI, HAWA Malaysia and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), aims to foster cross-border cooperation and policy alignment to support women-led businesses, particularly within ASEAN’s growing intra-regional trade.
Tengku Zafrul outlined five key priorities for accelerating this agenda: increased access to credit and green financing; digital tools for cross-border trade; ESG alignment for women-led firms; mentorship networks across the region; and leveraging ASEAN trade agreements such as RCEP to expand markets.
“Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, under the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, places women’s economic empowerment at the centre of regional ambitions,” he said, pointing to examples such as Cambodia, where women contribute up to 77 per cent of domestic value-added in key export sectors.
Domestically, the minister stressed that women comprise nearly 70 per cent of MITI’s senior leadership, including in policymaking, negotiation, and trade security roles.
“The impact of women is felt across all pillars of our society. Empowering women uplifts families, strengthens communities, and builds the truly resilient, competitive, and inclusive economies that ASEAN aspires to achieve,” he said.
He also paid tribute to HAWA Malaysia’s president Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and ERIA’s president Professor Tetsuya Watanabe for their leadership in championing the women-in-trade agenda and advancing the forum’s research base.
“This forum is not merely a dialogue – it is a call to action,” Tengku Zafrul concluded. “Let this be the beginning of tangible partnerships and actionable strategies that shape a more inclusive ASEAN economy.”
The day-long forum continues with panel sessions involving regional policymakers, business leaders, women entrepreneurs and academic experts. - October 8, 2025
