Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 -- The Supply Bill 2021 (Budget 2021), which has been passed at the policy stage, has been described as a good start in efforts to ensure the well-being of the vulnerable group in the country.

Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Senator Ras Adiba Radzi said the Penjana Kerjaya initiative under the budget, for example, opens up more job opportunities for the Persons with Disabilities (OKU) group.

Apart from targeting one per cent intake of OKU in the public sector, the government has also encouraged private sector companies to employ this group, said Ras Adiba, the Senator representing the OKU group.

“As a result, through the HireMalaysia programme of Penjana, many private companies have offered job opportunities to OKU and these have been well received by OKU.

“For private companies hiring OKU, the employers will be given an additional 20 per cent incentive, raising the total incentives for employers to 60 per cent,” she said in the Pesona XY programme entitled ‘Budget 2021 Caring Towards Vulnerable Group’ aired over TV1 today.

Under the initiative, the incentive for workers earning above RM1,500 will be raised from RM800 a month to 40 per cent of the monthly salary, up to a maximum incentive of RM4,000 per month.

Senator Ras Adiba Radzi (left)

To promote job opportunities for the OKU group, employers will be given an additional 20 per cent incentive, making it a total of 60 per cent in incentive for employers.

Ras Adiba said 3,598 OKU are serving in various fields in the public sector, accounting for 0.28 per cent of the civil service work force as at Aug 21.

“In this matter, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has taken the initiative to impose only the minimum qualifying conditions for OKU candidates based on the terms of appointment set for the service scheme,” she added.

Ras Adiba also touched on the need to step up the campaign to register OKU to ensure that they are not left out of the country’s mainstream of modernisation.

“The government needs to go to the ground so that OKU and their family members can come forward to register with the Social Welfare Department (JKM). This is because the number of registered OKU in the country is considered low at about 560,000 only,” she said.

She said according to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, 15 per cent of a country’s population is from the OKU community, meaning Malaysia has 4.7 million OKU.

In Budget 2021, the government increased the monthly aid for OKU unable to work from RM250 to RM300, the allowance for OKU workers from RM400 to RM450, the OKU care assistance from RM350 to RM500, home service assistance programme (maximum RM400 for volunteers), RM5 unlimited monthly travel pass, RM45 million to strengthen special education, RM5,000 tax exemption for OKU couples and initiatives for employing OKU under Penjana Kerjaya.

-- BERNAMA