Max
12-16-2002, 12:21 PM
Minister: Make workplace more disabled-friendly
By LEONG SHEN-LI
GENTING HIGHLANDS: The government has urged employers to create a suitable working environment that provides more opportunities for the large number of disabled people to get work.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn said simple measures like redesigning the workplace would allow more disabled people to work.
He said although more disabled people were being recruited since the implementation of the Guidelines for the Employment of People with Disabilities last year, the rate was still low.
He said that based on the "rule of thumb" every one in 10 people had some sort of disability, the number of such people entering the workforce annually should be between 30,000 and 40,000.
"However, only between 3,000 and 4,000 have been recruited this year," he said.
Dr Fong said more had to be done to persuade employers to recruit disabled people and NGOs like Rotary International could assist the government in this task.
He said these organisations could help publicise and project companies that hired disabled people as good examples for others to follow.
"At the moment, such companies do it out of a feeling of social responsibility," he said after opening the Rotary International Joint District conference yesterday.
He said while the public sector had a 10% quota of disabled people, the private sector could not be compelled to hire them and even the guidelines introduced by his ministry were voluntary.
"My ministry, however, helps by giving advice to employers who want to recruit those with disabilities. All training programmes conducted by the ministry have provisions for the disabled," he said, adding that he was not aware of any tax incentives offered to companies which hired people with disabilities.
He said employers should not regard hiring disabled people as a social service or charity, but see them as workers with potential.
Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the disabled's needs must be addressed and the government, private sector and the community as a whole must recognise these needs as well as the potential of the disabled as contributors to the nation.
"The disabled must be educated and trained so that they can be competent and have the tenacity and will to achieve social and economic independence," he said in a press statement.
Lee said more needs to be done to identify the career opportunities for the disabled and the ministry should set up a unit to look into matters pertaining to career guidance and job placement for them.
"Besides providing a suitable environment, employers should also provide guidance and counselling to help their disabled employees face work challenges," he said.
Rotary International president-elect Jonathan B. Majiyagbe thanked the government for pledging RM500,000 to the organisation for its polio eradication programme.
"We are now at the final leg of eradicating polio completely from the world. Only seven countries now have incidences of poliomyelitis," he said.
By LEONG SHEN-LI
GENTING HIGHLANDS: The government has urged employers to create a suitable working environment that provides more opportunities for the large number of disabled people to get work.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn said simple measures like redesigning the workplace would allow more disabled people to work.
He said although more disabled people were being recruited since the implementation of the Guidelines for the Employment of People with Disabilities last year, the rate was still low.
He said that based on the "rule of thumb" every one in 10 people had some sort of disability, the number of such people entering the workforce annually should be between 30,000 and 40,000.
"However, only between 3,000 and 4,000 have been recruited this year," he said.
Dr Fong said more had to be done to persuade employers to recruit disabled people and NGOs like Rotary International could assist the government in this task.
He said these organisations could help publicise and project companies that hired disabled people as good examples for others to follow.
"At the moment, such companies do it out of a feeling of social responsibility," he said after opening the Rotary International Joint District conference yesterday.
He said while the public sector had a 10% quota of disabled people, the private sector could not be compelled to hire them and even the guidelines introduced by his ministry were voluntary.
"My ministry, however, helps by giving advice to employers who want to recruit those with disabilities. All training programmes conducted by the ministry have provisions for the disabled," he said, adding that he was not aware of any tax incentives offered to companies which hired people with disabilities.
He said employers should not regard hiring disabled people as a social service or charity, but see them as workers with potential.
Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the disabled's needs must be addressed and the government, private sector and the community as a whole must recognise these needs as well as the potential of the disabled as contributors to the nation.
"The disabled must be educated and trained so that they can be competent and have the tenacity and will to achieve social and economic independence," he said in a press statement.
Lee said more needs to be done to identify the career opportunities for the disabled and the ministry should set up a unit to look into matters pertaining to career guidance and job placement for them.
"Besides providing a suitable environment, employers should also provide guidance and counselling to help their disabled employees face work challenges," he said.
Rotary International president-elect Jonathan B. Majiyagbe thanked the government for pledging RM500,000 to the organisation for its polio eradication programme.
"We are now at the final leg of eradicating polio completely from the world. Only seven countries now have incidences of poliomyelitis," he said.