Penang has reached 81 per cent progress towards its goal of increasing women’s participation in entrepreneurship under the Penang2030 vision, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said.
Speaking at the World Women Economic and Business Summit 2026 in George Town today, Chow said 4,052 women had taken part in entrepreneurship initiatives against the state’s target of 5,000 participants.
The state aims to achieve 40 per cent women’s participation in entrepreneurship by 2030.
Penang is also working to train 2,000 women leaders annually until 2030, with 3,916 women having benefited from leadership programmes to date.
“These initiatives are aimed at strengthening the pipeline of future women leaders,” Chow said in his opening address.
He noted that women played a fundamental role in Penang’s socioeconomic development, contributing across manufacturing, services, technology, public service and the informal economy.
Women involved in home-based businesses, family enterprises, street vending and community caregiving formed a vital backbone of the state’s socioeconomic fabric by sustaining households and strengthening communities, he added.
Penang has established the Women and Family Development Committee in all 40 state constituencies, creating a network of 600 women leaders who work directly with local communities.
Through the Wanita Jana Rezeki programme, women from lower-income households are provided opportunities to generate income and strengthen their financial independence.
Chow said Penang was the first state in Malaysia to implement gender-responsive and participatory budgeting to ensure that the needs of women and families are considered in public policies and expenditure.
The state government would continue supporting women through programmes, funding, capacity building and inclusive policies, particularly as Penang strengthened its position in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, digital technology and innovation, he said.
Source: Bernama
