The Ministry of Human Resources encourages differently-abled entrepreneurs to certify all skill-training courses they attended at both public and private institutions.
Deputy Minister of Human Resources, Dato’ Mahfuz Omar said presently some disabled entrepreneurs have no accreditation yet have the required skills to manage their businesses.
Skill training, said Mafhfuz, would help ensure the credibility of their business in the long run.
“The government has established many skill training centres in the country. If they face accreditation problems, recourse for recognition is available at the Department of Skills Development.
“I urge the department to help these entrepreneurs obtain accreditation for their skills,” he said when launching the Career, Skills and Entrepreneurship Carnival for the Differently Abled at Kampung Batu 6, Jalan Tanjung Tualang on Thursday, January 17.
He encouraged collaboration between NGOs and training institutions to complement the government’s effort in providing skills training to disabled entrepreneurs.
“We’ll provide them with grants, as an added incentive. Hopefully, the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) would play a role in developing these programmes,” he added.
Mahfuz presented business grants, amounting to over RM300,000, to 11 participants under his ministry’s Aid for Disabled Businessmen Scheme.
Last year 60 entrepreneurs in the said category received aid. Of this, six were from Perak.
Noorazizah Zamri, 23, who has a learning disability, expressed her gratitude after receiving a van worth RM74,326 for her family business which she started in 2014.
Her fragrance and reflexology products are now marketed throughout the country, including Sabah and Sarawak.
“The vehicle makes me and my business more mobile,” she told reporters.
The event, which attracted over a hundred physically-challenged entrepreneurs and students, was aimed at empowering the handicapped and the dissemination of information.
Luqman Hakim
