KUALA LUMPUR: The country's laws on workplace discrimination cover persons with disabilities as well and there is no need to enact specific legislation for this group, says Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar.
"In Australia, Canada and India they have laws to address discrimination of persons with physical and mental disabilities.
“But this is dependent on (a particular) country where it could have discrimination cases related to this aspect (of persons with disabilities), hence the need for a specific law," he told a press conference at Parliament on Monday (Oct 16).
In the Dewan Rakyat, William Leong (PH-Selayang) had asked if the government intended to formulate specific legislation to address issues of workplace discrimination, particularly involving those with physical or mental disabilities.
In his reply, Sivakumar said the Labour Department had received only eight reported cases of discrimination up to Sept 30 this year.
“All of them have been handled,” he said, adding that none of them involved employees with disabilities.
The minister did not, however, specify whether the incidents involved the public or private sector.
Sivakumar also said the amended Employment Act 1955 Section 69F which took effect on Jan 1 granted the Labour Department director-general the authority to look into and decide on employee-employer disputes involving discrimination.
