Malaysian PM Urges Public, Private Sector to Provide Job Opportunities for Disabled Persons

KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak on Monday urged the public and private sector to provide job opportunities for disabled persons so that they can lead proud and dignified lives. He said this group of people should be given opportunities to to improve themselves so they do not make up for their deficiency by seeking sympathy, but instead prove that they too are able to work like everyone else and contribute to national development. "The opening of the Faresh Motor showroom here today is in accordance with the 1Malaysia idea inspired by me, whereby the government will never disregard the capabilities and talents of disabled people, thus optimising their potential. "Hopefully, this step will be followed by the public sector and private companies in order to make business and job opportunities available to disabled persons so that they can be productive citizens," he said when when opening Perodua's first handicapped dealer's showroom at Faresh Motor (M) Sdn Bhd in Taman Wahyu here. Also present was Perodua managing director (MD) Aminar Rashid Salleh and Faresh Motor (M) Sdn Bhd MD Ahmad Faresh Ahmad Zahid. The prime minister said the government also practised productive welfare which was aimed at the disabled community by providing business opportunities through the 1Malaysia People's Welfare (KAR1SMA) Teman 1Azam OKU programme. "We see how figures like Professor Stephen Hawking of Britain who suffers from 'motor neuron disease' and is almost completely paralysed and can only communicate via a special tool, has been been able to make invaluable contributions to the community at large. "And in Malaysia itself, we still remember the success of renowned economic expert Senator Prof Dr Ismail Md Salleh, who is blind. All these should serve as examples that it does not mean that if one is disabled, one cannot contribute to the country, oneself and family," Najib said. On the opening of the showroom, the Prime Minister praised Perodua for giving the opportunity to Ahmad Faresh to open a car showroom based on the disabled-friendly concept. "I am proud of the success and dedication of Ahmad Faresh as a dealer of Perodua, and having the chance to see the exhibition room which has been modified so that it is disabled people-friendly," he said. -- BERNAMA