12,350 Working Pwds In Johor Receive Epoku - Exco

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- A total of 12,350 persons with disabilities (PwDs), who work in Johor with a maximum salary of RM1,500, received the Social Welfare Department's Disabled Employees Allowance (EPOKU) incentive of RM500 per month.

State Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairperson Khairin-Nisa Ismail @ Md On said that this is in line with the efforts of the state government, through the department, to ensure the welfare of the disabled and to empower the group.

She also informed the Johor State Assembly sitting today that the disabled have equal rights and opportunities to contribute to the development of the country and industry.

“The Welfare Department also provides training centres to train the disabled, such as the Industrial Training and Rehabilitation Centre, which provides services to the disabled through vocational training and medical rehabilitation.

“Apart from that, the Sheltered Workshop has been established in accordance with the Sheltered Workshop Regulations 1979. This workshop is reserved for disabled people who are not competitive to get jobs in the open market,” she said when answering oral questions on the fifth day of the state assembly sitting in Kota Iskandar.

Khairin-Nisa (BN-Serom) said to ensure that disabled people are able to be independent, able to compete and remain in the employment world, the Johor government, through Yayasan Pembangunan Keluarga Darul Ta'zim (YPKDT) and the Welfare Department, also implemented a Job Coach initiative to help these individuals obtaining employment, and retention in employment.

The YPKDT Job Coach uses the open employment model, created by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“Up until now, a total of 190 disabled people, who followed the programme under the YPKDT Disabled Persons Development Unit, have been placed, and are still working in the public and private sectors,” she said.

Apart from that, a total of 58 civil servants, serving under the Johor government, are disabled in various categories, she added.

“These initiatives are implemented to empower the disabled in the field, for the purpose of supporting job placement activities and generating income for the group in Johor,” she said.

She said this in her reply to oral questions from Abdul Aziz Abd Talib (PN-Maharani) and N. Saraswati (BN-Kemelah), regarding the state government's efforts in helping the disabled to work, and the extent of their independence and skills.

-- BERNAMA