According to the Women, Family and Community Ministry, 63 percent of women between the ages of 23 and 39 in Malaysia, leave their jobs after having children.
“They are in their prime. Most resign to comply with their husband’s wishes to stay at home and look after their children.
This has derailed the government’s efforts to have 59% of women in the labour force by 2020,” said Minister Rohani Karim.
Currently, the 55% of women in Malaysia are part of the working population. Approximately 70% of women attend local universities, with the majority registering in social sciences and arts courses.
This shows that there is a mis-match between the number of female graduates and those that end up working. Also they tend to earn less than men, who lean towards higher paying courses such as engineering.