Has the Government made progress for the Disability (OKU) Community in line with its Party Manifesto?

Every 3rd December, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPwD) is commemorated. The theme for this year is “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future.”
The 2024 commemoration presents a timely opportunity to evaluate whether progress has been made by the elected government, in line with the promises made in the Party Manifesto.

16% of the population lives with disability. With care partners, we account for more than 30% of the Malaysian electorate. Hence, we hope the government of the day will listen to our concerns and put in place structural and policy changes to enable disabled persons’ full inclusion in society.

In this article, we compare the Pakatan Harapan party election manifesto and action plans for disability inclusiveness with achievements after two years of governance. Pakatan Harapan has the most comprehensive set of plans and promises for the disability (OKU) community. The plans in the Barisan Nasional manifesto are minimal and appear almost as an afterthought.
The Pakatan Harapan party election manifesto uses appropriate disability language, has a clear section, with plans, on persons with disabilities, recognises that persons with disabilities make up 15% of the Malaysian population and the need to remove barriers to enable meaningful OKU participation.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) Manifesto Contents Achievements by the Anwar Madani Government
To set up a Persons with Disabilities Department/Agency to deal with all areas and prioritize persons with disabilities – infrastructure, education, coordinating various ministries, welfare / needs, future challenges, and quality of life. Not achieved Even the Pelan Tindakan OKU which expired on 31/12/2022 has not been renewed.
Appointment of Persons with Disabilities Commissioner in SUHAKAM to help champion OKU rights and combat against all forms of discrimination. Not achieved

Increase the number of facilities and public transportation that are disabled person-friendly, while also ensuring that development projects fulfil universal design standards. Work in progress No legislation to enable this
Special allocation for improving the education of persons with disabilities, including the disabled person-friendliness of the education system and infrastructure. Yearly budgets (standard practice) include allocation for special education programmes in MOE schools, but not for supporting students with disabilities enrolled in mainstream classrooms. Disabled students who meet entrance requirements into university tend to be relegated to community colleges and vocational courses. The portal for application excludes disabled students.

Zero Reject Policy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training
Not achieved Persons with disabilities comprise only 0.55% of students enrolled in public universities (including community colleges & polytechnics)


As the table shows, of the promises made to the disability community and care partners, hardly any have been achieved after two years in office. The rating would not even achieve an “E” grade.
Plans and promises are good but the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes. When OKU rights are not made real, year after year, it is a gross failure of governance.
It is vital to keep promises made. Otherwise, politicians worsen the already bad trust deficit. In the end, party manifestos end up being mere, empty words.
In the end it boils down to legislation. As long as we do not amend articles 8(2) and 12(1) of the Federal Constitution to expressly prohibit discrimination on the ground of disability, as long as we do not amend the toothless Persons with Disabilities Act (2008) to give it the scope and powers to enforce the rights of persons with disabilities, any plans and actions of any government cannot be challenged or questioned.
We had looked to this government to improve the conditions for inclusion as a universal human right for all Malaysians. But it appears that the disability community may have to continue caring for itself.
Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
San Yuenwah
Anit Kaur Randhawa
Ng Lai-Thin
The OKU Rights Matter Project
For more info visit us: https://okurightsmatter.com/ha....s-the-government-mad

Appeal for Sensitive Media Coverage of OKU
We are disturbed by the media focus on the OKU status of the 19-year-old man arrested on 21 February 2025 in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a young girl at a mosque in Selangor.

Some media outlets approached JKM and the Selangor Department of Social Welfare (JKM) and confirmed that the man has a “learning disability since childhood.” This information has little bearing on the case and the alleged action, but media attention has put a spotlight and made the man’s OKU status the focus of public attention. The media has chosen to invoke the OKU label to sensationalize the alleged crime. As Norman Goh of Producer of Bicara Minggu Ini podcast has aptly observed:

“A careless headline can destroy years of advocacy, shatter trust, and fuel discrimination.”

This example of irresponsible media reporting and biased journalism will worsen bias and prejudice in the minds of the public that persons with disabilities (OKU) are not to be trusted and are sexual perpetrators. It will worsen discrimination against OKU and those closely associated with OKU and hinder efforts of inclusion of the OKU community in Malaysian society.

In reality, available local data show that the vast majority of sexual abusers are neurotypical individuals, persons WITHOUT disability; however, the media have never reported or focussed on the non-disability status of those perpetrators.

There are many similar incidents of poor and negative media reporting on the OKU community, especially those with autism, psychosocial disabilities (mental health problems) and learning disabilities. The 21 February incident is reported to have been viralled on social media before the suspect was arrested. The lack of SOPs and legislation to protect OKU from breach of confidentiality by those who have access to their OKU card information and to irresponsible behaviour in the public domain that could prejudice outcomes for the concerned OKU make attempts to redress this difficult.

We appeal to the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (CMCF) to take action to train our media outlets on disability-, child-, gender- age-sensitive and nonbiased reporting.

We also appeal to Minister YB Nancy Shukri and JPOKU to introduce SOPs that protect OKU from breach of confidentiality of the personal information held by the JPOKU of OKU cardholders by JKM personnel at all levels to anyone except when permitted by the law. We are unaware of any provision of law that allows such personal information (e.g., an individual’s OKU status) to be disclosed to the media without the explicit written consent of the concerned individual.

This negative and discriminatory media reporting strengthens our call for the urgent amendment of article 8 (2) of the Federal Constitution to expressly prohibit discrimination on the ground of disability and the comprehensive amendment of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2008 to align it with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

To the good people of Malaysia, we ask that you do not join in viralling this type of negative reporting. Recognise that all of us – disabled or not – have the same rights and entitlements to justice. Releasing CCTV recordings on social media while police investigations are ongoing is a no-no. We need to work harder in Malaysia to mature as a society, to become a fully inclusive “developed” nation.

To all media practitioners, we appeal that you please use your words wisely in the spirit of Steven Aitchison:

“Your words have the power to hurt, to heal, open minds, open hearts, and change the world. Never forget the responsibility you have over the words you speak.”

Thank you.

Signatories:
Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS, Consultant Paediatrician; Child-Disability Activist; Member, The OKU Rights Matter Project; Advisor, National Early Childhood Intervention Council.
Yuenwah San, disability justice and dementia care advocate; Member, The OKU Rights Matter Project.
Datin Anit Kaur Randhawa, Parent Advocate; Member, The OKU Rights Matter Project; Co-Chair of Bar Council Ad hoc Committee on PwDs; and Podcaster, Kita Family Podcast.
Ng Lai-Thin, Disability-inclusion advocate; Member, The OKU Rights Matter Project.
Dr Wan Puspa Melati, Associate Professor (Sociology), Taylor’s University; Vice President II, Malaysian Sign Language and Deaf Studies National Organization (MyBIM).
Dr.Shyielathy Arumugam, Advisor, National Early Childhood Intervention Council; Parent Advocate.
Annie Ong Hwei Ling, Deaf advocate, President, National Organization of Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia Instructors (NowBIM).
Malaysian Federation of the Deaf (MFD).
Malaysian Association of Sign Language Interpreters (MyASLI).
Ch’ng B’ao Zhong, Autistic, Licensed and Registered Counsellor.
Dr Anthony Chong, Deaf individual; Advocate; Researcher (Deaf Mental Health), Monash University Malaysia.
Pertubuhan Advokasi dan Kesejahteraan Pekak Malaysia (DAWN).
Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia dan Pengajian Pekak (MyBIM).
Jessica Mak, Deaf Advocate; President, Malaysian Sign Language and Deaf Studies National Organisation (MyBIM); Vice President; Deaf Advocacy & Wellbeing National Organisation, Malaysia (DAWN).
Allida Muhammad Said, Rare Disease Advocate; Malaysian Rare Disorders Society (MRDS), Vice President.
Srividhya Ganapathy, Co-chairperson CRIB Foundation.
Vicky Chan, Deafblind advocate.
JUPEBIM (Interpreters and Translators Association for Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Deaf Community).
Dr Choy Sook Kuen, Founder Oasis Place, Podcaster Kita Family.
Desiree Kaur, Founder, Project Haans, Podcaster, Kita Family.
Nori Abdullah Badawi, Owner, We Rock the Spectrum Gym for All Kids, Chairman, Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia, Podcaster, Kita Family.
Nik Nadia Nik Mohd Yusoff. Moderator of FB Group Autisme Malaysia, Podcaster of Kita Family.
Pertubuhan Diversiti Pekak Malaysia (Madeo).
Meera Samanther, disability-gender activist, parent advocate, and Committee Member, Association of Women Lawyers (AWL); Co-Chair of Bar Council Ad hoc Committee on PwDs.
Haymasuthan A/L Periasamy, Founder, Deaf Advocacy & Wellbeing National Organisation, Malaysia (DAWN).
Lee Siow Hua, Persatuan Media and Teknologi Pekak Kuala Lumpur & Selangor.

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