Nik Zalbiha Proves Competition Is Equal In The Digital World

By Nadia Jumri

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- Behind her diminutive physique, Nik Zalbiha Nik Mat harbours a strong spirit and sharp mind who has finally made history as the first person with disability (OKU) to hold the highest position in the Malaysian civil service.

Originally from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Nik Zalbiha, 59, is now able to 'stand tall' with normal people, when she became the director-general of the National Digital Department (JDN) despite being a disabled person, and dedicated her achievement as the most meaningful gift to her parents who tirelessly supported her.

Having joined the civil service in 1992, the mother of three and the only one with OKU status out of seven siblings said the two main challenges she faced from school to the university were the infrastructure constraints for special people like her and the negative perception of society.

"Although physical disabilities are often seen as a dividing line, the gift of thought and intelligence that knows no bounds is the key to survival. As an OKU, I am grateful to be blessed with a mind equal to that of other people.

"During my school days, around the 70s and 80s, I had to climb stairs every day to get to class, the laboratory or the office because that was the only route available. At university, students had to walk long distances for each subject and climb stairs while carrying heavy bags and books," she told Bernama in conjunction with the celebration of International Dwarfism Awareness Day today.

Nik Zalbiha, who holds a Master's Degree in Information Security from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), said there is still a perception that physical disabilities also reflect a lack of mental ability among OKU individuals.

"This view is often seen in the way they treat and look at me, doubting my ability to succeed. It becomes a major social obstacle. I am very grateful that my family was never ashamed to send me to school and support me," said Nik Zalbiha, who has a disabled husband and three grandchildren.

The three philosophies that shaped her success are mental toughness with a positive attitude, education as a key asset, and effective communication skills, while emphasising that self-confidence is more important than sympathy.

After completing her studies in the Bachelor of Computer Science in 1989, Nik Zalbiha said choosing the field of information technology (IT) was her brother's recommendation because of the good job opportunities in the private and government sectors.

"For example, banks started using computers to manage data and after graduating in 1989, there were many job opportunities in the IT field. It has become an important agenda in the development of the country. In 1996, the government launched the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) making IT a major economic sector and attracting a lot of investment," she said.

Sharing further, Nik Zalbiha explained that the use and approach of IT in education has driven distance learning and supported the use of screen readers, while in the economic field, the technology has opened up opportunities for digital jobs and entrepreneurship from home.

"Meanwhile, from the aspect of social services, information technology has contributed to the increase in digital government services that facilitate transactions, thus increasing the independence and social participation of the disabled," she said.

In line with JDN's vision as a leader in sustainable, innovative, inclusive and resilient digital government transformation, Nik Zalbiha said that her party is always empowering and mainstreaming digital for the disabled community to ensure that every individual enjoys equal opportunities as a result of the country's digital transformation.

She said that among the main strategies is to empower the digital skills of the disabled by providing training and digital skills programmes, in addition to increasing access to government services by ensuring that all government systems and applications follow a universal design that is easily accessible to all groups.

"The development of OKU-friendly technology using artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to improve the quality of life and employment opportunities of the OKU community is also necessary, in addition to making inclusivity a key principle by ensuring that the concept of accessibility is mainstreamed in every national digital policy," she said.

According to Nik Zalbiha, knowledge, discipline and integrity should be a strong foundation throughout the career journey, because she believes that every woman or individual has extraordinary potential to make a positive impact on society and the country.

In conjunction with International Dwarfism Awareness Day, Nik Zalbiha hopes that the general public will change their perception to shift from feelings of sympathy to sincere respect and eliminate any discrimination against the physically disabled.

"Eliminate degrading treatment, support the social inclusion and careers of dwarfs, as well as respect personal autonomy by avoiding any behaviour that violates personal rights, such as holding or lifting us without permission," she said.

She hopes that society can accept dwarfs as whole individuals, equal, and entitled to participate fully in every aspect of life, just like everyone else.

Nik Zalbiha, who was recognised as a public sector information and communication technology (ICT) expert in 2015 and 2016 in the field of system development, is directly involved in more than 20 government agency digitization projects.

She was appointed as an ICT Consultant in 2023 and was later selected as the chief ICT consultant (System Development) in early 2024, and also played a role in the formation of the Data Sharing Act 2025 before being appointed to lead JDN as director-general on June 5.

-- BERNAMA