PENANG government, through the Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC), continues to champion women’s empowerment by focusing on entrepreneurship, community leadership, and socio-economic development.
State Social Development, Welfare, and Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim (PH–Sungai Pinang) highlighted that initiatives such as the Penang Women Entrepreneurs Mentoring Programme (PenMentor) are providing women with training in entrepreneurship, mentorship, digital marketing skills, and business networking opportunities.
“This year, PenMentor emphasises digital marketing skills to help women entrepreneurs thrive in today’s economy,” Lim said during the State Legislative Assembly sitting at Light Street today.
Speaking on the programme, Lim explained that participants are grouped by language, Malay, English, and Mandarin, each group consisting of 35 women, further divided into mentor-led subgroups.
According to Lim, the programme modules, developed in collaboration with Digital Penang, cover digital marketing platforms such as TikTok Shop, Canva, and CapCut.
“The programme requires participants to reside in Penang and operate a micro-business or start-up, committing to three months of in-person classes. Fees are RM200 for B40 participants and RM400 for M40 and T20 participants,” she said.
Lim emphasised that today’s biggest challenge for entrepreneurs is not capital, but digital readiness. Programmes like PenMentor equip women with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving business landscape.
One success story is Ganga Devi Ganesh of Chitthi Spice Sdn Bhd, who credited PenMentor for helping her expand her business to Canada, with further plans to grow in Sabah and Sarawak.
Lim also noted that PWDC prioritises women’s leadership in politics through the Women Elite Leadership in Politics Program (WELIT), organised in collaboration with the Penang Community Literacy Association (PENITI).
“The WELIT Programme has received RM50,000 in funding from the Women’s Leadership Programme (PERANTIS) under the Ministry of Women’s Development, Family and Community (KPWKM).
“WELIT provides intensive training in public policy, strategic communication, and good governance, preparing women for leadership roles at both the state and national levels,” Lim said.
Additionally, Lim highlighted the success of the Bukit Tengah Women and Family Development Committee (JPWK), which secured RM100,000 from the SeJaTi MADANI fund to establish ‘The Garden,’ a community centre.
The centre serves as a platform for women to generate income and improve family well-being through skills development and community programmes.
For 2025, Lim shared that PWDC’s total budget for women’s development programmes is RM 654,840, with RM 413,440 provided by the state and the remainder contributed by state agencies and the Federal Government.
While acknowledging these efforts, Phee Syn Tze (PH-Sungai Puyu) praised PWDC’s initiatives, noting that they go beyond symbolic programmes to create a real, lasting impact for women in Penang.
“With programmes like PenMentor and WELIT, PWDC is moving towards holistic empowerment, enabling women not only to thrive economically but also to become leaders and active contributors to society,” Phee said.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Alissala Thian