PETALING JAYA: The government has been urged to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to gain employment to ensure equal access to work opportunities.
Despite the progress in promoting diversity and inclusion, many disabled individuals continue to face significant barriers to employment, hindering their path to independence and self-sufficiency.
Khu Li Huang, 40, who faces profound physical limitations after surviving a life-altering accident at the age of 16, is on a journey of rehabilitation, adaptation and carving out a path towards self-sufficiency.
“After the accident, I found myself confronting a reality I never could have imagined. Suddenly, the dreams I had of using education to uplift my family and myself seemed distant and unattainable.
“Becoming (handicapped) as a result of the accident robbed me of my ability to move freely and (rendered) a daunting sense of uncertainty about the future,” she said.
Following the incident, Khu became entirely dependent on a wheelchair for mobility and needed aid for her day-to-day tasks.
She took a bold step of sitting for the SPM as a private candidate in 2005 as the desire to return to school remained ingrained in her.
“In 2006, I pursued a diploma at Tunku Abdul Rahman University in Penang. I was thrilled to have the chance to continue my education and eventually obtained a degree and master’s at Universiti Sains Malaysia.
“Despite possessing a strong educational background, many disabled individuals encounter numerous obstacles in their journey towards securing employment. My story is one of many,” she said.
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Khu faced challenges when searching for employment opportunities because of her disabilities and encountered barriers such as inaccessible workplaces, discriminatory hiring practices and a lack of accommodations which made it difficult for her to secure a job and contribute to society in the way she desired.
“After consulting the manager, we regret to inform you that our office is not wheelchair accessible. We appreciate your interest in applying for this position with us.” These were the common responses Khu faced when seeking employment.
“Last week, I applied for a substitute teacher position. But once they learned I’m a wheelchair user, they immediately rejected me citing inconvenience in accessing upper floors.
“Despite explaining that students could come down to my classroom, they were uncertain if the school could accommodate such arrangements. It was a situation in which even the opportunity to try was denied, all due to me being a wheelchair user.”
Khu said the efforts she invested during her studies, all with the aim of achieving self-reliance and securing a stable job, seemed to have been in vain as it appeared there were no accommodations made for individuals with disabilities.
“I believe this stems from a lack of understanding towards individuals like us. (There is a lack of effort to) promote the installation of accessible facilities in public places and opportunities for us are painfully scarce.
“My greatest support system throughout these hardships has been my mother. Her dream has always been to see me live independently and have the ability to support myself, and I am determined to fulfill that dream.”
Khu, who makes a living selling lottery tickets at a morning market, holds onto the hope of securing government employment to contribute to society.
“The (civil service) is seen as a promising opportunity, offering benefits such as job security, steady income and receiving necessary accommodations for my disabilities.”
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