SELANGOR has rolled out a comprehensive Persons with Disabilities (OKU) Policy anchored on five key pillars to create a sustainable framework for empowering the community.
State women empowerment and welfare committee chairman Anfaal Saari said the pillars covered Well-being and Social Equality, Education and Lifelong Development, Productivity and Economic Development, Accessibility and Universal Design, as well as Governance and Advocacy.
Speaking at a press conference at Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Wednesday (Aug 12), Anfaal stressed that policies must go beyond written documents to produce tangible results on the ground.
“The state government believes policies should not remain merely as written documents, but must instead be understood, embraced and mainstreamed by all parties,” she said.
“In this regard, the role of assemblymen is crucial as key catalysts in their respective constituencies to ensure policies concerning the welfare and rights of persons with disabilities are translated into concrete action to improve the quality of life of the OKU community in Selangor.”
Copies of the Selangor OKU Policy Book were distributed to all assemblymen on Wednesday to bridge information gaps and deepen representatives' understanding following the policy's official launch on June 9.
Anfaal added that to ensure continuity and effectiveness, the state government, through the Selangor Persons with Disabilities Action Council (MTOS), was actively mainstreaming implementation among strategic partners and stakeholders.
Key ongoing initiatives include OKU job placement training with state government-linked companies (GLCs).
“MTOS is actively providing training and working closely with Selangor GLCs and their subsidiaries to conduct OKU Job Placement training, thereby creating a more disability-friendly and inclusive workplace ecosystem,” Anfaal said.
She said MTOS had also delivered a presentation on establishing a universal design team to ensure infrastructure planning and public facilities across Selangor adhere to universal accessibility standards.
To support both initiatives, MTOS is conducting studies to formulate the Selangor Universal Design Guidelines and Selangor Inclusive Employment Guidelines as official reference standards for the state.
