Kuala Lampur, Dec. 11 -- Behind the dynamism of Malaysia's food sector is a powerful yet unseen force driven by B40 women, whose determination keeps the informal food economy alive. Working from cramped PPR kitchens and makeshift stalls, they sustain thousands of urban households and underpin entire low-income communities, even as their contributions go largely unrecognised. According to SME Corp's 2025 statistics, micro-enterprises make up about 70.1 percent of all MSMEs in Malaysia, forming the core of the nation's entrepreneurial landscape.

Although official breakdowns by gender or sector are unavailable, years of community engagement, NGO interventions and academic fieldwork consistently reveal that a significant share of micro-food ...