SERDANG: The government will ensure that entrepreneurs in the disabled community are not marginalised and should be empowered with higher recognition.
Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Datuk Salahuddin Ayob said this group disliked being considered weak or needy as they had extraordinary power to be independent.
However, he said, it was his responsibility to co-operate and provide assistance through new approaches so that persons with disabilities (OKUs) of all levels receive the necessary assistance.
“So far under the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) we have registered 91 disabled entrepreneurs who receive guidance and tutelage.
“They are involved in various fields, 45 entrepreneurs are involved in the business of farmer’s markets and 12 are still in the field of farming.
“We want to raise and target more OKU entrepreneurs with further achievements because their economic activity also contributes to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” he said in a friendly session with FAMA’s entrepreneurial guidance mentor here today.
In conjunction with the World Disabled Day celebration on Dec 3, FAMA hosted a meet the people session with Salahuddin bringing together more than 150 disabled entrepreneurs at the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism (MAHA) exhibition 2018.
This is the first time in its history MAHA highlighted the OKU’s with the involvement of more than 65,000 other entrepreneurs, thus placing high confidence on the ability of these people to be in the business market.
Also present at the session were FAMA Chairman Ishak Ismail. Among the issues discussed included business opportunities for disabled people, quota, involvement of external agencies to assist disabled entrepreneurs and their needs.
Ishak said that FAMA would be implementing Entrepreneurship Development programme beginning next year which was dedicated to OKUs.
He said the special programme would seek out more disabled entrepreneurs in various fields, give them training and create business opportunities for them.