Number of disabled persons employed in public sector low

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of disabled people (OKUs) employed in the public sector is still too low, making up only 0.29 per cent of the 1.6 million civil servants nationwide.

Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Mahfuz Omar said this was well below the required one per cent.

He said among the challenges faced by public agencies and departments was to find suitable employment for these individuals based on their abilities.

“Perhaps for clerical, financial or IT posts, it may be convenient and easy for them, however, in the enforcement division it is quite difficult because the positions require a lot of movement, and there are disabilities which limit mobility, so it will be difficult for the departments to hire them (disabled persons)” he said during the question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling) who wished to know the latest percentage of disabled persons employed in the public sector.

Commenting further, Mahfuz said at the ministry level, only the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development had exceeded the standard, with 1.59 per cent of its workforce comprised of disabled persons.

“This is because the disabled community comes under the purview of this ministry, of course, they are more concerned, and it is easier for them to find suitable work for the group,” he said.

Mahfuz said the Ministry of Human Resource itself had a disabled workforce rate of 0.68 per cent, and has employed 51 new employees in various positions, including in high posts in the legal division, this year alone.

Hence, he hoped that all ministries would be able to comply with the circular to ensure disabled persons had the opportunity to get jobs in the public sector.