BUTTERWORTH, June 30 — Both government and private sectors have a responsibility to empower people with disabilities (OKU), by increasing the number of work opportunities for them. 

Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy said the employment of people with disabilities could be viewed as a unique solution to work productivity challenges.

Government policy, he said, stipulated that at least one per cent of recruitment undertaken by the Public Service Department should comprise individuals with disabilities. 

"The question now is, how can positions for people with disabilities be increased within the private sector?”, Ramasamy asked in his speech at the OKU Career Expo 2019 hosted by the state government here.

He said feedback from a number of companies and organisations who employ individuals with special needs, showed that such individuals were hardworking, responsible and took a lesser amount of holiday leave.

He added that the private sector could obtain information on job-seekers with disabilities from the Labour Department and the Social Welfare Department.

Calling on society to rid itself of negative perceptions towards the capacities of individuals with disabilities, Ramasamy said the Fourth Industrial Revolution or Revolution 4.0 would pose new challenges to the development of human capital, and this community of individuals should not be left behind.

The two-day exposition which began yesterday, has been integrated with the Penang Career, Postgraduate and Business Franchise Expo 2019.   

About 60 participants including institutions of higher learning and employment agencies are featured at the joint events which are aimed at facilitating job interviews and offers, as well as opportunities to pursue higher studies. — Bernama