BUTTERWORTH, May 27 — The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) has urged the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (MBKOKU) to initiate discussions with industry stakeholders, particularly in the manufacturing sector, to improve infrastructure and facilities for employees with disabilities.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri highlighted that the lack of or inadequate disabled-friendly facilities significantly limited employment opportunities for the group in the sector.
She hoped that swift communication between relevant parties would enable appropriate actions to be taken, thus achieving the government’s target of having one per cent of the workforce comprising Persons with Disability (PwD).
“Perhaps one of the reasons the government has not yet reached the one per cent employment policy target for PwD may be due to infrastructure constraints, as many buildings are old and lack the necessary facilities for disabled individuals to work, making it difficult for them to move from one place to another.
“That’s why we are asking MBKOKU to expedite communication in this matter so that the responsible parties can make the necessary infrastructure improvements, as this issue is not confined to just one state but is prevalent throughout Malaysia,” she told reporters after a working visit to Flextronics (Penang) Sdn Bhd here today.
Nancy also called for support from the private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to hire disabled workers, adding that the government provided various incentives, including deductions for employing disabled persons, tax deductions for approved training, and special single deductions for building modifications or the provision of support equipment for the disabled.
Meanwhile, she commended Flextronics (Penang) Sdn Bhd for responding to the government’s call to employ PwD.
She noted that the number of disabled employees at Flextronics increased from 81 in 2022 to 136 this year, encompassing various categories such as hearing, learning, and multiple disabilities.
As of April 30, statistics show that the total number of active PwD is 703,287, with 372,164 being eligible to work. — Bernama
