KUALA LUMPUR: Raising the role of women in the oil and gas industry especially at the decision-making levels is a primary concern of the government, says the Economy Ministry’s deputy secretary-general Datuk Dr Yatimah Sarjiman.
“As of 2023, five out of 26 public-listed oil and gas services and equipment (OGSE) companies in Malaysia, ranked among the top 150 by revenue, have reached at least 30% female representation on their boards.
“At the senior management level, nine out of the 26 OGSE public-listed companies have achieved at least 30% female representation,” she said at Oil and Gas Asia 2024 here yesterday.
“While we still face a significant journey in closing the gender diversity gap, these improvements indicate a meaningful evolution from the industry’s traditional norms.
“With ongoing effort and commitment, the oil, gas, and energy sector is steadily advancing towards a more diverse and resilient future,” said Yatimah.
She said that these figures “remind us that diversity is not just a box to check but a critical factor in fostering stronger governance and more inclusive leadership”.
“While much work remains, the strides made by these companies affirm that real change is both possible and achievable.”
“The energy industry has been proactive in increasing the participation of women in a field that has historically been male-dominated. Today’s event is a testament to our progress,” she added.
Ramanrao Abdullah of the Malaysian Women in Energy (MyWiE), an advocacy group championing for women rights and equality in the energy sector, said that although women make up 50% of the population, Malaysia still faces one of the lowest female labour force participation rates among upper-middle-income countries.
“Only 51.6% of Malaysian women participate in the workforce compared to 78% of men.
“This disparity highlights the need for continued advocacy and dedication by industry experts within the MyWiE community,” he said at a workshop titled “Fuelling Women in Energy: driving diversity and inclusion across the entire energy sector value chain” at the event.
Ramanrao also called for better study and incentives to enable better maternity benefits for mothers and fathers to allow both parents to support each other.
“For example, paternity leave should be allowed for fathers after the maternity leave ends to ease the return of new mothers to work,” said Ramanrao.
