4 Ways to Foster More Female Leadership in Malaysian Companies

The former secretary general of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Malaysia spells out what is needed for corporate female leaders to thrive in the private sector

In her 38 years in the public sector in Malaysia, Tan Sri Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur was secretary general for three ministries, including the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development from 2010 to 2014, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation from 2014 to 2016 (during which she was also elected as the chairperson of the Sciences Commission at the 38th Unesco General Conference), and the Ministry of Higher Education from 2016 to 2018. In 2006, Noorul was also appointed the senior advisor in the Southeast Asia Group for the World Bank in Washington D.C.

Currently chairman of the University College of Yayasan Pahang and a professor at the Jeffreay Sachs Centre on Sustainable Development at Sunway University, she considers gender equality an important cause.

The recent Budget 2022 requirement for public-listed companies in Malaysia to appoint at least one woman on their board of directors was announced by Malaysia's finance minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who also revealed that female board of directors represented only 25 per cent among the top 100 public-listed companies in Malaysia.

Below, Noorul shares her reaction to this Budget 2022 ruling along with her thoughts on the steps to be taken by the private sector to pave the way for more female leadership.

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Set targets, not quotas

"Ten years ago in 2011, a policy was established that set a target (not a quota) that women make up at least 30 percent of the boards of public listed companies. I was then the secretary general of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. The ministry had stakeholders drafting and agreeing the respective policies. So this isn't a new requirement, but one that has always been there to groom more female leaders, address the dearth of female involvement in decision-making in the private sector and champion the gender equality agenda.

We need political will and enforcement especially from responsible agencies to make it happen. We should also set a new target of maybe 50 per cent."

Above Photo: Unsplash

Organisational initiatives that benefit the female workforce

"The business sector must empathise with women in their organisations. Providing day care centres is one example. Many young female leaders have to leave to care for their babies, and there are very few day care centres located at our private sector premises. This is no small matter. In terms of the Female Labour Force Participation Rate, we are lagging behind compared to other ASEAN member countries.

There are women who have left their careers but would like to return to it later on in life. The private sector should implement 'returnship' programmes by providing training and upskilling for women."

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Above Photo: Unsplash

Changing discriminative policies

"The retrenchment of women in a time of crisis (like the Covid-19 pandemic) by the private sector represents a negative image on the entities. Women must not be the 'first out' in the retrenchment policy, by which they are victimised in the workforce ecosystem."

Investing well in leaders

"Some women need to be coached further upon reaching leadership positions. This is where training and courses on upgrading of ethics and traits of a board member should be provided by the government and private entities. The private sector should invest more in women, for example, in training on leadership, upskilling, communications and others."

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Topics

Budget 2022 Budget Malaysia Tan Sri Dato Sri Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur female leadership female empowerment front & female

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Tan Sri Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur: 4 Ways to Foster More Female Leadership in Malaysian Companies

Set targets, not quotas

Organisational initiatives that benefit the female workforce

Changing discriminative policies

Investing well in leaders