Mothers Wanted Back in Workforce as Malaysia Seeks Growth

Women in Malaysia who have stopped working to raise their families are being enticed to rejoin the labor market as the country tries to boost Southeast Asia’s lowest female workforce participation rate.

The government is collaborating with companies to increase child-care facilities, Rohani Abdul Karim, minister for women, family and community development, said in an interview. The ministry is working with companies including Citigroup Inc. and General Electric Co. to raise the female participation rate to 55 percent by 2015 from 52.4 percent now, she said.