PM'S WIFE CALLS ON WOMEN TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN BUSINESS

From Zuriati Zulmi

ISTANBUL, May 6 (Bernama) -- The Prime Minister's wife, Rosmah Mansor, called on delegates attending the Global Summit of Women 2011 here to support their fellow women in business by sharing expertise and information, while providing opportunities for international experience.

She said women entrepreneurs should engage the wider economy and seek to expand to regional markets like the Asean countries, China, India, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries and the Muslim world.

She said, women must be brave to venture further into the services
industries and knowledge-based activities such as communications, education and tourism.

"They should capitalise as well on Information Communications Technology (ICT) and e-commerce to reach potential customers beyond expectations, which at the same time, allows them to give attention and care to the family," she told about 1,000 participants from 81 countries attending the Summit.

More importantly, Rosmah said women must explore green technology products, which are very much in demand because of the greater consumer consciousness about mitigating climate change and environmental protection.

"Women in business should not be content to be successful merely at the domestic level. I truly believe that women entrepreneurs in the 21st century will become important transformational drivers of innovation and job-creation for economic growth," she said in her address at the opening ceremony.

In her speech, she also shared some of the critical factors that have contributed to the success of Malaysian women in business and the economy.

Rosmah, who is the patron of the Permata Negara Programme, said that access to education, right from early childhood to university is the most important factor.

Beyond formal education, Rosmah said there are also opportunities provided for self advancement, for example, the SME Corporation has assisted women entrepreneurs to avail themselves of the financial schemes and support facilities provided by various ministries and government agencies.

She also noted that the microcredit agency, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia
(AIM), has since 1987 helped elevate the businesses of more than 200,000 women entrepreneurs across the three major economic sector of services, agriculture and manufacturing.

"Business and entrepreneurial know-how training programmes help women gain new skills, confidence and opportunities to improve and expand their businesses.

"They also provide business counseling, financing, market information and access as well as business networks that are so essential for business development," she said.

Rosmah said that although participation as corporate executives at top management and in the Board of Directors was still not high in Malaysia, women are becoming a force to be reckoned in entrepreneurship.

"They dominate major sectors of the economy such as health, social work and education. Some are in businesses that were once considered 'inappropriate' for women, such as construction, security, oil and gas, engineering and shipping," she added.