KUALA LUMPUR – Budget 2021, which has been passed at the policy stage, is a good start to efforts to ensure the well-being of vulnerable groups, said Senator Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi.
She said the Penjana Kerjaya initiative under the Budget provides more job opportunities for disabled folk (OKU).
Apart from targeting 1% OKU intake in the public sector, the government has also encouraged private companies to hire from among this group, said the Dewan Negara member representing the disabled community.
“As a result, through the HireMalaysia programme under Penjana, many private companies have offered jobs to OKU, and these have been well received by the group.
“For such companies, employers are given an additional 20% incentive, raising total incentives to 60%,” she told the Pesona XY programme aired on TV1 today.
Under the initiative, the incentive for workers earning above RM1,500 is raised from RM800 a month to 40% of their monthly pay, up to a maximum incentive of RM4,000 per month.
Ras Adiba, who is also Bernama chairman, said 3,598 OKU were working in the public sector as of August 21, accounting for 0.28% of the civil service.
She raised the need to have more disabled folk registered.
“The government needs to go to the ground so that OKU and their family members register with the Welfare Department. The number of registered OKU in the country is low, at about 560,000 only.”
According to World Health Organisation estimates, 15% of a country’s population comprises disabled people, meaning Malaysia has 4.7 million, she said.
Among Budget 2021’s allocations for this group include an increased monthly aid for OKU unable to work, from RM250 to RM300, allowance for OKU workers (raised from RM400 to RM450) and OKU care assistance (raised from RM350 to RM500). – Bernama, November 28, 2020
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