Syerleena Abdul Rashid (PH-Bukit Bendera) said the introduction of a “comprehensive” initiative was needed to upskill women in leadership, technical and tactical roles.

She said such a programme was vital in view of the low representation of women in the armed forces. As of December 2024, women comprised only 8% of the armed forces, about 2% short of its 10% target.

In February, it was reported that 9,550 female personnel were serving in the armed forces, with 6,574 in the army, 1,953 in the navy and 1,023 in the air force.

Syerleena said women could be assigned to critical areas such as defence engineering, technology and communication, logistics, medicine, navigation and military intelligence.

“However, the existing structure does not provide a clear path for women in leadership roles.

“Women must be given a chance and not be overlooked (for such roles) because of stereotypes,” she told the Dewan Rakyat when debating the Supply Bill.

Syerleena said Malaysia could not prepare the armed forces for the 21st century if it still had a “19th century mindset”, adding that countries such as Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US have proven that when women are given the opportunity, it increases the armed forces’ capabilities.

Separately, she questioned the capabilities and the preparedness of the armed forces in dealing with challenges in the present day.

She said Malaysia’s neighbours are aggressively upgrading their assets and the country should not be left behind.

“Being prepared is not just about being physically present but the ability to respond to threats effectively and rapidly, be it conventional threats, natural disasters or geopolitical developments that require immediate deployment (of troops).

“Our radars must be fully functional, and our helicopters and planes well maintained,” she said.