Kuala lumpur: The government has unveiled the Post-Maternity Leave Allowance, an initiative aimed at bolstering women's participation in the workforce and alleviating the pressures experienced by mothers post-childbirth.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim introduced the initiative in response to findings indicating a slight decline in the labor force participation rate among women, particularly those aged 25 to 39, due in part to maternity obligations. The allowance will be implemented through an amendment to the Employment Insurance System Act 2017, offering additional financial assistance to mothers who require extended leave after maternity.

"The rationale is that we do not want mothers to feel forced to quit and leave the field of work after that, as has happened so far," Anwar explained during his address at the 2026 National Workers' Day Celebration. The Prime Minister, who also serves as the Finance Minister, stated that the allowance will provide 80 percent of the monthly assumed salary for insured female workers, disbursed as a one-time payment.

He further elaborated that this financial assistance is intended for an additional leave period of up to 30 days per month following the standard 98-day maternity leave. Anwar emphasized the government's commitment to empowering women as key contributors to the nation's economic and social progress.

The initiative is projected to benefit over 132,000 female workers across the nation. Under the Employment Act 1955, female workers in the country are entitled to 98 continuous days of maternity leave, inclusive of rest days and public holidays. Eligibility for maternity allowance requires that female workers have been employed for at least 90 days in the nine months preceding childbirth, have worked at least one day in the four months before childbirth, and have fewer than five surviving children.