12MP: Women's roles to be empowered in care economy - PM

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will empower women's roles in the care economy to boost their participation in the labour market during the final phase of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling the 12MP Mid-Term Review (MTR) at the Dewan Rakyat today, said it could effectively tackle the challenges posed by an aging population.

"Commitment from various stakeholders, including the private sector and civil society organisations using a nationwide approach, is crucial to achieve this goal. Continuous efforts are being made to ensure that the female labour force participation rate reaches the target of 60 per cent within 10 years.

"We will improve our efforts to encourage women to remain in or rejoin the workforce by providing essential facilities and support, including childcare services, financial incentives, and flexible working hours," Anwar said.

The programmes implemented include the MamaCare initiative, affordable childcare centre incentives, the Career Come Back programme, and workplace daycare fee subsidies, he said, adding that the government will prioritise empowering persons with disabilities (PwD) to improve access to employment.

"Details of PwD job seekers will be included on the MyFutureJobs portal, and procedures for hiring PwDs in the civil service will be enhanced to reach one per cent representation," he stated.

-- BERNAMA