KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) through the Employment Committee of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (MKBOKU) has implemented various initiatives and strategies in an effort to increase access to employment for Persons with Disabilities (PwD).
Deputy Minister of Human Resources Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said that for the period 2020 to Dec 31, 2024, a total of 70,566 job seekers among PwD, including participants in the Return To Work (RTW) programme, have successfully found employment.
“The RTW programme is a disability management programme to help contributors who are injured or have an illness to recover and return to work sooner, healthier and safer,“ he said during a question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question by Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan (BN-Kuala Pilah) who wanted to know the strategy to help the disabled gain access to appropriate employment given that there is still a lack of awareness, willingness and confidence among employers to hire disabled workers.
In addition, Abdul Rahman said that as of December last year, a total of 1,915 PwDs had participated in the Person With Disabilities (PWD) Development programmes, which is an initiative under the MADANI Training Programme to empower PwDs with basic training skills through various courses.
“In addition, KESUMA through the Skills Development Department (JPK) has accredited 1,582 centres throughout Malaysia, of which 922 of these centres have accepted PwD trainees to undergo skills training,” he said.
He said KESUMA through the Manpower Department (JTM) has also trained PwD students at the Manpower Department Training Institution (ILJTM) and provided an allowance of RM300 per month as well as tuition fee exemption.
“During the period from 2020 to 2024, a total of 245 disabled students of various categories have been trained at ILJTM in the fields of graphic design technology, electronic technology and mechatronic technology,“ he said.
