PUTRAJAYA, May 28 — The work ethics of persons with disabilities (PWDs) continue to gain recognition, with nearly 81 per cent of employers rating their performance on par with other workers, according to the Department of Statistics (DOSM)’s 2025 Employment Survey of Persons with Disabilities in Malaysia.
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the survey, involving 1,830 employers, also found that 71.9 per cent recognised the role of PWD workers in driving productivity and innovation in the workplace, with nearly 22 per cent of employers currently hire PWDs to work with them.
“This effort not only reflects growing employer awareness on workforce diversity, but is also supported by the achievement of nearly 30 per cent employment among workers with physical disabilities,” he said in a statement here today.
He said nearly 91 per cent of employers who had previously hired PWDs provided employment opportunities involving between one and five workers, while 47.5 per cent expressed their intention to continue hiring the group in future.
“Among employers currently hiring PWDs, 83.7 per cent employ between one and five workers, with elementary occupations remaining the preferred job category at 31.4 per cent,” he said.
Mohd Uzir said the survey also found that 86.5 per cent of employed PWD workers possessed the PWD card as official verification of their disability.
He said majority of the employers showed support towards the efforts to strengthen the inclusive employment ecosystem, with 90.6 per cent supporting the establishment of specific guidelines related to PWD employment, while 77.3 per cent agreed that job training should be tailored according to the type of disability.
However, he said the survey also identified several challenges, with 63.3 per cent of employers citing high cost of modifying workplaces to be PWD-friendly, 78.6 per cent reported difficulties in finding suitable candidates, as well as the need to further improve awareness on the benefits and incentives of hiring PWDs.
“Holistic cooperation among the government, employers, PWD organisations and all stakeholders is important to strengthen the inclusive participation of the group in the labour market and support the country’s socio-economic development,” he added.
