B40 Women Struggle In E-commerce, Need Ongoing Support – Gobind

KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 -- Ongoing support is essential to enable women, particularly those from the B40 group, to succeed in e-commerce, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said.

He noted that statistics showed women in this category continue to face major challenges in fully capitalising on opportunities in the digital economy. 

Nearly 220,000 women entrepreneurs ventured into e-commerce through various platforms, but only 12.63 per cent received training after their initial participation. 

"This indicates that many still need continuous guidance, not just to be present on digital platforms, but also to compete and thrive," he said in his opening speech at EmpowerHER Digital 2025. 

Gobind added that data showed nearly 57,000 women selling online recorded no sales, while most earned less than RM1,000. 

“This means barriers remain to prevent them from fully leveraging opportunities in the digital economy, and it is our role to help them move forward,” said Gobind.

The EmpowerHER Digital programme is a Digital Ministry initiative driven by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), with the support of SMECorp Malaysia.

The programme was launched to empower B40 women with digital skills and market access to generate income and build sustainable businesses in the digital economy.

Gobind added that the EmpowerHER Digital programme would be expanded to more states to benefit women in urban and rural areas.

“The government, through the Digital Ministry and MDEC, is committed to ensuring an inclusive digital transformation, providing equal opportunities for all, including rural women, single mothers, and underprivileged groups, to thrive in the digital economy,” he said.

He added that based on a report on the Malaysian Family Cheap Sale@DE DAGANG programme implemented in 2022, 95 per cent of women entrepreneurs operate individually, not as companies or formal business entities.

“This indicates that most women are still in the early stages of digitalisation and require more in-depth support in areas such as financing, digital marketing, and strategic training.

“Therefore, we are responsible for ensuring that no one is left behind, making EmpowerHER Digital not just a training programme, but a national movement to raise women’s confidence in the digital world and help them achieve success,” said Gobind.

-- BERNAMA