Nearly 81% of Malaysian employers say workers with disabilities perform on par with other employees

Employers in Malaysia are increasingly recognising the value of workers with disabilities (OKU), with a large majority rating their performance on par with other employees and acknowledging their contribution to workplace productivity and innovation, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s 2025 Employment Survey of Persons with Disabilities.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the survey, which involved 1,830 employers, found that nearly 81% of respondents viewed the work performance of OKU employees as comparable to that of other workers.

The findings also showed growing acceptance of inclusive hiring practices, with 71.9% of employers agreeing that OKU workers contribute positively to productivity and innovation within organisations. Nearly 22% of surveyed employers currently employ persons with disabilities.

Mohd Uzir said the progress reflects rising awareness among employers about workforce diversity and inclusion, supported by the employment participation rate of nearly 30% among workers with physical disabilities.

The survey revealed that 90.9% of employers who had previously hired OKU workers employed between one and five individuals from the group. Additionally, 47.5% of employers indicated plans to continue hiring persons with disabilities in the future.

Among organisations currently employing OKU workers, 83.7% said they hired between one and five workers, while elementary occupations remained the most common job category, accounting for 31.4% of employment opportunities.

The report further highlighted that 86.5% of employed OKU workers possessed the OKU card, which serves as official verification of disability status in Malaysia.

Support for strengthening workplace inclusion also remained high among employers. According to the survey, 90.6% supported the introduction of dedicated guidelines on OKU employment, while 77.3% agreed that job training programmes should be customised according to the type of disability.

Despite the positive momentum, employers also highlighted persistent barriers to wider OKU participation in the labour market. Around 63.3% cited the high costs involved in modifying workplaces to make them disability-friendly, while 78.6% reported difficulties in finding suitable candidates.

The survey also pointed to the need for stronger awareness around the benefits and incentives available to employers hiring persons with disabilities.

Mohd Uzir stressed that closer collaboration between the government, employers, disability organisations and other stakeholders would be critical in strengthening inclusive employment participation and supporting Malaysia’s broader socio-economic development goals.