KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 — The government will extend the Malaysia Short-Term Employment Programme or MySTEP next year by providing 80,000 job opportunities to help reduce unemployment, including among persons with disabilities.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said in line with efforts to ensure those with disabilities could secure job opportunities, the government had set a special quota of one per cent for this group under the MySTEP 2022 programme.

"According to the achievements of 2021, a total of 61,000 people have been placed in the public sector and government-linked companies (GLCs), including persons with disabilities registered with the Department of Social Welfare,” he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2022 for his ministry in the Dewan Negara today.

Tengku Zafrul said participants who completed MySTEP were not automatically hired.

He said procedures for recruitment in the public sector and GLCs were applicable as usual.

"However, the government is confident that participants have the edge to be selected in the interview sessions based on the experience gained through MySTEP,” he said.

The government, through Service Circular Letter No. 3 of 2008, provides a policy of one per cent employment opportunities in the public service for persons with disabilities, in line with efforts to further increase the capacity of human capital especially for this group.

MySTEP is a programme that offers contractual short-term employment opportunities in the public sector and GLCs to enhance marketability as well as provide opportunities for participants to gain on-the-job experience and prove themselves to the employers. — Bernama