A call for decent work for OKU this Labour Day

LETTER | As we celebrate Labour Day this year, I want to reflect on the participation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the local employment sector. 

Unfortunately, most PWD never even get a chance to prove their worth and potential. For so long, the PWD community has been denied their right, access and capacity to have decent work. 

According to the recent report by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, PWDs are two to six times less likely to have jobs on average, with employment limited to welfare-based employment with low salary, corporate social responsibility projects, self-employment or in private companies as expendable resources.

PWDs want to work. We want to earn our living. We want to buy stuff, build our own family, and pay taxes. PWD need to have decent work that can support our own daily needs. 

Without regular income, we cannot buy medicine. Without regular income, we are unable to acquire technologies like wheelchairs, hearing aids or screen reader software that we rely on for our daily tasks. Without regular income, we cannot access vital services such as sign language interpretation services, ride public transport, and use the internet.

As an integral part of this proud and beloved country, PWDs have the same rights as others. This fact is ensured through Article 8(2) of the Federal Constitution. 

The right of PWD to employment is further strengthened through Section 29 of the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008. And yet, as a report by the New Straits Times last year showed, only 3,782 public servants are PWDs, which translates to 0.25 percent. 

This number is still very far below than the one percent quota of job placement for PWDs in the public sector. 

Despite all the benefits and programmes provided under the Human Resources Ministry, most PWD still find it very difficult to land a good job, let alone to develop their career.

In fact, we still have no reliable and comparable data on PWD in the employment sector, especially in the private sector. 

I truly appreciate the urge made by Deputy Minister of Women, Family, and Community Development Hannah Yeoh to the public and private sectors to employ more PWDs.

However, there are few fundamentals that must be acknowledged and addressed by the government in order to bring substantive change to the lives of more than 400,000 PWDs, especially with respect to employment.

First, the government and the policymakers must aware and accept the fact that PWD community is heterogeneous. Meaning, this community is diverse, not only with regards to types of impairment, but also in term of skills, needs, and ambitions. 

Not everyone wants to work in the public sector. Not everyone wants to work in private businesses. Some prefer self-employment and freelance work. Some want to become professionals. Thus, a 'one size fits all' measure will not be enough.

In addition, we have to accept the fact that some groups of PWD simply cannot compete in the open labour market. Thus, sheltered workshops are needed. 

But, sheltered workshops and other forms of affirmative actions should not be diluted to become tokenistic empowerment and subtle segregation of these groups of persons. 

Instead, the government must find creative ways to incorporate these sheltered workshop programmes as part of a wider business and economic network. Think of sheltered workshops as vendors for other companies. With this shift of mindset and comprehensive pragmatic strategies that enable different tracks of career path, PWDs can have gainful employment.

Second, even though we talk about providing job opportunities to PWDs, it also overlaps with other dimensions such as accessible public transportation, accessible physical building and connectivity, assistive technologies, human capital development, and so forth. 

Plus, we must not forget psychosocial aspects such as interpersonal relationships between PWDs and their workmates and their employers. All of these aspects must be taken into account.

I strongly urge the government of Malaysia to take the following actions:

1. Review and make appropriate improvement of existing laws, policies, guidelines, schemes, and programmes targeted at the employment opportunities among PWD, which include the Labour Act 1955 and other future laws such as the proposed Public Services Act. But, this time around, let the organisations representing PWD or disabled academicians lead the process, while the government provides them with appropriate resources and assistance, including funding, access to government policies and reports and so on.
2. Notwithstanding the first point above, the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry must review, report, and make appropriate improvements to the Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities 2016-2022, especially under the 2nd Strategic Core, which covers indicators on employment for PWDs.

I am confident that these two milestones can be achieved before the next general election. 

I believe organisations representing PWDs in this country and other individuals, such as myself, are prepared to work with the government in this matter. 

I remain hopeful and optimistic that the labour market in Malaysia can be truly inclusive for all, including for PWDs.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.