Malaysia pushes to close gap in military with more women
Malaysia is working to increase the number of women in its armed forces.
The government set a goal for women to make up 10 percent of the military, but the current figure remains two percent below that, Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari told Parliament.
Adly said technology in the defence sector is creating more opportunities for women to serve, adding that the government is stepping up efforts to encourage female participation, with a review of the Defence White Paper planned for this year.
The review will include an assessment of women’s roles in the military.
As of December 31, 9,550 women were serving in the Malaysian Armed Forces, with the majority in the army, followed by the navy and air force.
Women have also played key roles in international operations, including United Nations peacekeeping missions, joint military training, and humanitarian efforts.
Malaysian female personnel have taken part in several high-profile missions. Eight women were involved in a recent operation to evacuate injured Palestinians for medical treatment in Malaysia.
Others have provided medical aid to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and assisted in earthquake relief efforts in Türkiye. In total, 85 female personnel have served in the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.
The government remains committed to closing the gender gap in the armed forces. With defence technology expanding opportunities, officials hope to attract more women to military service.
