Employers urged to use job coaches to support workers with disabilities, says deputy minister

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Lim Hui Ying (right) visits an exhibition booth at the opening of the Langkah Bersama Berapit 2.0: Careers and Opportunities for Youths with Disabilities programme in Bukit Mertajam, October 11, 2026. — Bernama pic

First Published: Sunday, 11 Oct 2026 1:53 PM MYT

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Oct 11 — Employers are urged to leverage Job Coach services to help workers with disabilities (PwD) adapt to their duties and work environment, thereby expanding inclusive employment opportunities. 

Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Lim Hui Ying said the services would also help employers understand the needs of PwD workers and adopt appropriate communication methods to ensure they could perform their duties effectively. 

She said with appropriate guidance, workplace adjustments and mutual understanding, more persons with disabilities could perform well at work and contribute productively. 

“Employers should provide training opportunities, identify their talents and create a fair and safe working environment,” she said when officiating the ‘Langkah Bersama Berapit 2.0: Careers and Opportunities for Youths with Disabilities’ programme here today. 

She said the parents’ concerns about the future of their children with disabilities after they completed schooling, including access to skills training and employers’ willingness to hire and guide them, needed to be addressed seriously. 

She said differences in communication, learning or social interaction, particularly among neurodivergent youths, including individuals with autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as those with learning difficulties, should not be a barrier to employment opportunities. 

Instead, she said, a safe work environment that supports individual needs should be established to enable this group to develop their respective capabilities and potential. 

Lim said empowering persons with disabilities requires comprehensive cooperation among ministries, government agencies, training institutions and the private sector to ensure they have access to education, skills training and employment opportunities. 

She also encouraged more companies to support these efforts through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and initiatives to recruit PwD workers. 

Meanwhile, she said the RM1.5 billion allocation for PwD under Budget 2027 will benefit more than 300,000 recipients. 

Among the measures announced was an increase in the monthly Bedridden PwD Care and Chronically Ill Patients Allowance from RM500 to RM600, as well as an increase in the threshold for the Disabled Workers’ Allowance from RM1,700 to RM2,000. 

The government also provides free public transport passes to the PwD community, and 3,000 new PwD caregivers will receive specialised skills training.

A total of 15 Community-Based Rehabilitation (PDK) premises will also be upgraded into specialised therapy centres. — Bernama