Budget 2027 to Boost Women Entrepreneurs' Production and ASEAN Market Access

In an interview, Hartini Osman, honorary advisor of the women’s entrepreneur association WAWASANITA, outlined how Budget 2027 should empower female business owners to raise production capacity and enter ASEAN markets. She argued that financing, skills training and business development must move women from merely sustaining their firms to expanding output, citing an example of scaling daily packing from 100 to 1,000 units.

The budget allocates RM1 million to the Kasih Ibu Tunggal programme for single mothers and funds the KIRANA programme, which provides equipment grants and digital-marketing guidance. Osman urged agencies to assess current beneficiaries, identify gaps, and focus assistance on those who have not yet received support. She also stressed the need for better coordination among government bodies and NGOs to avoid overlapping aid and to deliver comprehensive support at each stage of business growth. Ultimately, she hopes integrated financing, leadership development and market access will help Malaysian women entrepreneurs compete beyond the domestic market.