PUTRAJAYA, April 30 – According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s (DOSM’s) Women-owned Statistics based on the Economic Census 2023 report, which was released today, there were 219,015 women-owned establishments in Malaysia operating in 2022, contributing 20.1 per cent of overall establishments in the economy for that year.
Women-owned establishments refer to businesses, real estate, or other assets owned by women. This includes businesses fully or partially owned by women.
A total of 205,012 establishments or 93.6 per cent were concentrated in the services sector, followed by the manufacturing sector (8,469 establishments; share: 3.9 per cent) and the construction sector (3,869 establishments; share: 1.8 per cent).
Findings by subsector showed that more than 70.0 per cent of the women-owned establishments were involved in the wholesale & retail trade subsector (share: 45.0 per cent) and the food & beverage subsector (share: 31.1 per cent).”
Selangor remained the top state with the highest number of women-owned establishments in 2022, contributing 15.9 per cent of the total 219,015 establishments.
This was followed by Sabah with 22,740 establishments (share: 10.4 per cent), Kelantan with 21,079 establishments (share: 9.6 per cent), W.P. Kuala Lumpur 20,237 establishments (share: 9.2 per cent) and Johor 19,495 establishments (share: 8.9 per cent).
These five states accounted for more than half of total women-owned establishments in Malaysia.
Value Of Gross Output: RM136.9 billion
The value of gross output generated by women-owned establishments amounted to RM136.9 billion in 2022, contributing 3.6 per cent to the overall economic sector in Malaysia.
The services sector generated the highest gross output value with RM83.0 billion or 60.7 per cent share and the wholesale & retail trade subsector contributed 37.7 per cent (RM31.3 billion).
The gross output of the manufacturing sector accounted for 30.1 per cent, with the manufacture of food products subsector being the primary contributor to this sector, registering RM12.6 billion (share: 30.7 per cent).
In view of growth, the value of gross output rose 7.0 per cent annually in 2022 as compared to 2015.
The incline was predominantly attributed to the strong growth in the manufacturing sector by 13.8 per cent, followed by the agriculture sector (6.0 per cent) and the services sector (5.7 per cent).
In line with the increase of gross output, the total value added for women-owned establishments grew 6.5 per cent annually, increasing by RM21.8 billion to RM61.4 billion in 2022 (2015: RM39.6 billion).
The main contributor to value added was the services sector, registering 72.2 per cent or RM44.4 billion with an annual growth rate of 5.7 per cent.
Meanwhile, the manufacturing and agriculture sectors contributed RM10.5 billion (share: 17.1 per cent) and RM5.0 billion (share: 8.1 per cent), respectively.
Total Salaries And Wages Paid: RM20.5 Billion
The number of persons engaged in all sectors also posted an increase of 2.0 per cent, standing at 979,812 persons in 2022 (2015: 853,559 persons). The services sector led with 788,884 persons (share: 80.5 per cent).
On the same note, the total salaries and wages paid rose by 5.5 per cent annually, amounting to RM20.5 billion in 2022 (2015: RM14.1 billion).
The services sector recorded the highest value of salaries and wages with RM15.5 billion (share: 75.5 per cent), followed by the manufacturing sector with RM3.6 billion (share: 17.5 per cent).
Nevertheless, the highest average monthly salaries & wages was reflected in the mining & quarrying sector with RM2,675, followed by the manufacturing and construction sectors with a value of RM2,628 and RM2,156, respectively.
The value of fixed assets for women-owned establishments showed an increase of 5.6 per cent annually from RM37.9 billion in 2015 to RM55.4 billion in 2022, mainly influenced by the services sector which recorded RM41.3 billion in 2022 (2015: RM22.8 billion).
The manufacturing sector had a value of RM7.6 billion in fixed assets and the agriculture sector registered RM5.9 billion.
17% Of Total SMEs In Malaysia
In 2022, there were 185,582 women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs), representing 17.0 per cent of total SMEs in Malaysia.
Of this number, 171,800 establishments (share: 92.6 per cent) were involved in the services sector, followed by 8,359 establishments (share: 4.5 per cent) in the manufacturing sector.
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 respectively, each year.
Additionally, 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.
“The increasing presence of women in the entrepreneurial ecosystem reflects Malaysia’s ongoing commitment to gender inclusivity and empowerment,” said Mohd Uzir Mahidin, Malaysia’s chief statistician, in a statement.
“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.”
