EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES VITAL FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES - NANCY SHUKRI

KUCHING, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- Every individual with disabilities (PwD) deserves equal opportunities in education, employment, healthcare, and entrepreneurship, ensuring their full participation in the nation's development," said Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

She said the MADANI government has allocated nearly RM1.4 billion for PwD assistance in Budget 2026 which includes provisions for care assistance, work incapacity allowances, and the allowance for working disabled persons (EPOKU).

"In addition, the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) offers employment initiatives for PwDs through the OKU Business Incentive Scheme (SBGP-OKU) to help them start and expand their businesses.

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"The Ministry of Higher Education also provides financial assistance to PwD students in tertiary education. These efforts demonstrate the government’s comprehensive approach, from education to employment, and from basic support to fostering independence." she said when officiating the Disability Equality Training (DET) Seminar and Job Coach Services here today.

Nancy added that DET helps the public understand disability issues through the Social Model, which emphasises that the real challenges faced by PwDs are not inherent to the individuals, but stem from unresponsive attitudes, structures, and environments.

“Between 2010 and 2024, a total of 7,426 participants have attended the DET programme. The expansion of this initiative emphasises the importance of building a more inclusive society that is better equipped to plan effective interventions.

"The Job Coach Service is a vital resource, guiding PwDs into the workforce with the right support. To date, 976 PwDs have been mentored and employed by 664 employers nationwide, which is a significant achievement," she said.

In Sarawak alone, as of October, 3,477 recipients have benefited from the EPOKU, amounting to RM15.28 million in expenditure.

"This RM450 allowance provides critical support to low-income PwD individuals. However, we observe that Job Coach services are still underutilised, partly due to limited awareness," she added.

-- BERNAMA