ISKANDAR PUTERI, Nov 29 — A total of 12,350 Persons with Disabilities (PwD), who work in Johor, have been identified as recipients of a maximum income of RM1,500 and also a RM500 per month disabled employees allowance incentive from the Social Welfare Department (JKM).
Johor Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Khairin-Nisa Ismail said the incentives were in line with the state government’s commitment to safeguarding their welfare and empowering their equal rights, as well as opportunities to contribute to the development of the industry, state and country.
“JKM through the Industrial Training and Rehabilitation Centre was developed to train the PwD through vocational training and medical rehabilitation.
“In addition, the sheltered workshop programme was also established in accordance with the Sheltered Workshop Rules 1979.
“This workshop is reserved for the PwD to obtain employment in the open market,” Khairin-Nisa said in response to questions by Abdul Aziz Abd Talib (Perikatan Nasional-Maharani) dan N. Saraswati (Barisan Nasional-Kemelah) at the Johor state legislative assembly in Kota Iskandar here today.
Her response was from a prepared text made available to the media.
Khairin-Nisa, who is the Serom assemblyman, said that the state government through the Darul Ta’zim Family Development Foundation (YPKDT) and Johor JKM also implemented a job coaching programme to ensure that the disabled are able to be independent, competitive and remain in the workplace.
“At present, 190 PwD who participated in the programme under the YPKDT’s disabled development unit have been placed to work in the public and private sectors.
“In addition, a total of 58 civil servants serving under the Johor state government are also categorised as PwD in various categories,” she explained.