KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 (Bernama) -- A total of 219,015 active women-owned establishments were recorded in 2022, representing 20.1 per cent of the total registered establishments in Malaysia, based on the Economic Census 2023, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
In a statement today, chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the total number represented an annual growth rate of 2.3 per cent compared to the previous census (2015: 187,265 establishments).
He said a total of 205,012 establishments or 93.6 per cent were concentrated in the services sector, followed by the manufacturing (8,469 establishments; share: 3.9 per cent) and the construction (3,869 establishments; share: 1.8 per cent).
“Findings by subsector showed that more than 70 per cent of the women-owned establishments were involved in the wholesale and retail trade subsector (share: 45 per cent) and the food and beverage subsector (share: 31.1 per cent),” he said.
DOSM said Selangor remained as the top state with the highest number of women-owned establishments in 2022, contributing 15.9 per cent of the total 219,015 establishments, followed by Sabah with 22,740 establishments (10.4 per cent), Kelantan (21,079 establishments: 9.6 per cent), Kuala Lumpur (20,237 establishments: 9.2 per cent) and Johor (19,495 establishments: 8.9 pr cent).
It said the gross output value generated by women-owned establishments stood at RM136.9 billion in 2022, contributing 3.6 per cent to the overall economic sector in Malaysia, with the services sector generating the highest at RM83 billion or 60.7 per cent share and wholesale and retail trade subsector was the catalyst, contributing 37.7 per cent (RM31.3 billion).
In terms of growth, the value of gross output rose 7.0 per cent annually in 2022 compared to 2015, it added.
DOSM said there were 185,582 women-owned small and medium enterprise (SME) establishments, representing 17 per cent of the total establishments in Malaysia in 2022.
“Of this number, 171,800 establishments (share: 92.6 per cent) were involved in the services sector, followed by 8,359 establishments (4.5 per cent) in the manufacturing sector.
“The women-owned SMEs generated a gross output of RM89.3 billion and a value added of RM44.3 billion, which increased by 3.7 per cent and 4.1 per cent each year,” it said.
Additionally, the statistics department said women-owned establishments employed 833,311 persons, with an annual growth rate of 0.9 per cent.
In terms of salaries and wages and fixed asset values, they recorded RM16.2 billion and RM39.7 billion, with annual growth rates of 4.5 per cent and 3.4 per cent respectively, it said.
Mohd Uzir said the increasing presence of women in the entrepreneurial ecosystem reflects Malaysia’s ongoing commitment to gender inclusivity and empowerment.
“These statistics serve not only as a testament to the strength and capabilities of women entrepreneurs, but also as a vital input for policy makers, researchers and industry players in formulating informed strategies to support and accelerate women’s economic participation,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
