Malaysia Allocates RM3 Billion to Support Women Entrepreneurs

• The Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development (MECD) seeks to empower female entrepreneurs in Malaysia
• The Dewi programme is a programme meant to support female entrepreneurs across the country

The Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development (MECD) has set a goal of empowering female entrepreneurs in Malaysia.

In line with this mission, MECD has committed an additional RM3 billion for this year to be used through its Dewi programme, which is designed to support female entrepreneurs across the entire country.

According to Steven Sim Chee Keong, Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development, the launch of this initiative will take place on 8 March 2026, the same day as International Women’s Day, as part of MECD’s overall commitment to help and empower women to achieve success as businesswomen and provide them with pathways to becoming industry "Iron Ladies".

Approximately 200,000-300,000 female entrepreneurs will benefit from this funding to start or grow their businesses through MSME sectors of Malaysia.

This funding will be provided to each entrepreneur depending on the size of her business, with available amounts ranging from RM1,000 to RM3 million.

The funding will also be very beneficial to these entrepreneurs in terms of growing their businesses and developing their skills and building the professional relationships necessary for their long-term success in the digital and global marketplaces.

The initiative will be carried out through four main agencies under the ministry Bank Rakyat, SME Bank, Tekun Nasional and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia.

According to Minister Steven, the programs under the initiative, such as those under Dewi, include existing financing programs, particularly those offered by Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia. However, they have now been streamlined under this initiative for better coordination.

"This initiative is an important step towards increasing women’s participation in Malaysia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Women entrepreneurs have the resources they need to build their businesses through the combination of financing, training, and support services. The RM3 billion funds demonstrate the government’s commitment to ensuring that women entrepreneurs remain key contributors to the country’s economic growth."