Investors in Malaysia should be judged by job quality, treatment of women: Tengku Zafrul

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) chairman Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz argued that investors in Malaysia should be evaluated based on the quality of jobs they generate and their treatment of workers, especially women. He emphasized that fair wages, safe work environments, and flexible working conditions should be essential factors for judging quality investments.

At the Annual Women Economic Forum and G100 Global Meet 2026, Zafrul stated that welcoming investors who prioritize such aspects is crucial. He cited McKinsey research, asserting that advancing women's equality could inject US$4.5 trillion into Asia-Pacific economies each year, with Malaysia potentially reaping about US$50 billion annually, roughly eight percent of its GDP.

Zafrul emphasized that increasing women's workforce participation, alongside equal access to capital and markets for women entrepreneurs, would bolster the economy's productive capacity. He explained that when more women are employed and women entrepreneurs have equal access to resources, the economy's overall productivity expands.

Zafrul noted that Malaysia's female labor force participation rate reached a record 56.6 percent by the end of 2025, but many women left the workforce post-graduation due to insufficient childcare support and caregiving responsibilities. He highlighted that women frequently had to juggle careers with childcare and caring for aging parents, stressing the need to address these barriers to enable more women to remain economically active.

Zafrul stressed that empowering women is vital to unlocking Malaysia's economic potential, especially as nations vie for talent, productivity, and innovation. He warned that leaving women behind is not only unjust but also economically irrational in today's competitive world.