ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by placing questions of work and care in the context of Malaysia's demographic and labour market profile. It outlines government policies that designed to address women's struggle to remain in the workforce after childbirth and the increasing demand for women to care for children, the aged and people with disabilities. The chapter discusses the ways in which the provision of care is managed and examines pressure points in the work/care system. Initially focused on getting women into labour-intensive manufacturing and typically feminised professions, the government has since encouraged women to engage as professional workers in the knowledge economy. Many women have responded to the conflicting demands of paid work and care work by returning to or remaining in the home, while women engaged in the paid workforce rely predominantly on family and informal childcare. Women's position as both producers and consumers of care work has thus been integral to the economic development of Malaysia.
