One % PWD employment policy being reviewed – Dr Zaliha

KUALA LUMPUR: The one per cent employment of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) policy in the public service is currently under review to enhance its implementation, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said this is because, since 2014, the policy has still not achieved its target.

“One of the identified reasons is the low number of job applications from PWD candidates, which is less than one per cent of the overall applicant pool.

“In the Job Satisfaction Survey Among PWD Civil Servants, it was found that among the main challenges faced by this group are their abilities and competencies, stressed by job demands within their limitations, as well as the support and facilities they require,” she said during the question and answer session.

She was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau), who wanted to know about the latest 10-year statistics on the percentage of PWD civil servants since the introduction of the policy.

Dr Zaliha said, however, the statistics indicated an increase over the years, with 0.23 per cent in 2014, 0.25 per cent (2015), 0.28 per cent (2016), 0.29 per cent (2017 to 2022) and 0.3 per cent (2023).

In response to a suggestion from Lim Lip Eng (PH-Kepong) to increase the number of PWD civil servants at Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Dr Zaliha highlighted the notable progress in filling PWD positions in the Federal Territories, including in that local authority, which stood at 0.5 per cent or over 10,000 people.

“As for the proposal to increase PWD civil servants in Parliament, I support that proposal as an effort to further enhance the employment of PWDs in the public sector,” she said. – Bernama