Rangkaian Solidariti Demokratik Pesakit Mental (SIUMAN) said it is concerned by the statement made by Human Resources Minister Sivakumar that there is no need for specific legislation that protects Persons With Disabilities (PWD) in the workplace.
It said the minister seems to be unaware of the second-class citizen status of PWD in Malaysia and the lack of existing protections for us in any area of life. In his parliamentary answer, and during the subsequent press conference, the Minister indicated that only eight cases of discrimination have been reported, and none of these involve PWD. The comment fails to appreciate the existing gaps in protections in the Employment Act, where discrimination is not defined, and that existing protections are highly limited as they do not extend to pre-employment, such as during the hiring process. Without pre-employment protections, PWD are often subjected to discrimination during the hiring process, and any discrimination experienced would not be reported or accounted for.
The association has called on the Minister to lead by example and ensure that his ministry fulfills the 1% PWD in Civil Service Policy, a policy that was introduced in 1998, rolled out via Government Circular in 2008 , and made a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) during Ismail Sabri’s tenure as Prime Minister. There is no formal data that indicates the 1% quota has been fulfilled throughout the civil service, while the only known data is that only 0.35% was fulfilled and that only four ministries have fulfilled the quota, with no information on the specifics.
