Nearly 70% of disabled employees in Malaysia regain employment

Disabled people who lost their jobs between 2020 to 2022 due to the pandemic have now found jobs thanks to recent government initiatives.
By: | March 4, 2024
Topics: DE&I | Malaysia | News | Recruitment

Of the disabled employees who lost their jobs between 2020 to 2022, nearly seven out of 10 have successfully found employment again.

This was data released by Malaysia’s parliament, in a parliamentary written reply written by the Human Resources Ministry, based on statistics released by the Social Security Organisation (Socso) Employment Insurance System (SIP).

With a total of 1,075 insured disabled employees who lost their jobs during the specified period, 740 of these individuals, or 68.84% have successfully found employment again.

The Human Resource Ministry has said that they had initiated various employment opportunity programmes to address the employment needs of disabled people, which ensured their inclusion in Malaysia’s workforce.

Among the programmes was the establishment of the first MYFutureJobs Satellite Centre, catered specifically for disabled people, located at Bangi Industrial Training and Rehabilitation Centre, as well as targeted job carnivals.

“From last year to February 9, a total of 39 special interview programmes for persons with disabilities were held nationwide. The overall attendance stood at 1,501 individuals, with 396 successfully securing employment,” stated the ministry, in reply to a parliamentary question posed from Datuk Suhaimi Abdullah, Member of Parliament from PN-Langkawi. Of those numbers, 342 individuals managed to secure second interview sessions. Those unsuccessful will be continuously monitored by Socso’s employment service officers for other suitable job placement programmes.

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The ministry added that the Malaysian government has allocated RM30 million (US$6.33 million), with an incentive of RM1,500 (US$316.56) per month for six months to employers under the Private Sector Employment Support Scheme for former inmates, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and retirees to reintegrate 3,300 job seekers from these target groups into the labour market.

Other programmes included Return To Work, aimed to help insured individuals who have been wounded or ill rehabilitate and get employed, reported New Straits Times.