PUTRAJAYA: Immediate action must be taken to address the wage gap between male and female graduates in Malaysia, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
She said this issue should not be happening, especially considering that both female and male graduates now hold equivalent academic qualifications.
“We need to voice out this issue because there should be no gap, especially when the qualifications of women are the same as those of men. So, what’s the difference, right?” she told reporters after launching the logo and theme for the 2025 International Women’s Day celebration here today.
She was commenting on the 2023 Graduate Statistics report released by the Department of Statistics, which stated that female graduates, on average, earn RM900 less than their male counterparts, despite having equivalent academic qualifications.
Furthermore, Nancy noted that women often face additional challenges such as responsibilities for childcare and elderly care, but these should not be used as an excuse to undervalue them.
“Women sometimes work because they have their own responsibilities. Therefore, they should not be looked down upon, especially in terms of income. If their qualifications are equal to men’s, then their income should be the same,” she said.
Nancy also stated that the government would review related policies to ensure that discrimination and violence against women are reduced.
Apart from the salary issue, Nancy also touched on her ministry’s efforts to empower women, including producing more young female leaders through the Women Leadership Apprenticeship Programme (PERANTIS).
“We need more young female leaders in this country. This year, the government has allocated RM5 million to produce 100 female PERANTIS. My hope is that they can get involved in various fields, including politics,” she said.
Nancy urged all parties to work together in promoting gender equality in Malaysia, especially as International Women’s Day approaches on March 8.
“This is a platform for us to celebrate women’s achievements and drive efforts towards better equality. We do not want our women to be ‘locked down’, but rather empowered to become leaders and decision-makers,” she said.
Nancy today launched the theme for International Women’s Day 2025, “Aspiring Women, Building Legacies”, which symbolises efforts to elevate women to create lasting change.
International Women’s Day was first celebrated on March 8, 1975 by the United Nations as part of the International Women’s Year. In Malaysia, the celebration was first held in 1983.
