‘Be kind to OKU on the job’


We’re here to serve: Jeremy D’orville, 22, and Kevin Khor Dren Hwee, 31, who have learning disabilities, attending to a customer at Bake with Dignity cafe in Bandar Sunway. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star

PETALING JAYA: Be it the assault of a deaf e-hailing driver or the recent attack involving a trader in Terengganu, the challenges and risks that persons with disabilities (OKU) face in their day-to-day life are aplenty.

At work too, OKU find it tough when dealing with discrimination.

Stella (not her real name), who has Down syndrome, initially found it difficult to work as an administrative assistant at a home appliance firm as most of her colleagues were able-bodied and expected her to be on par with them.

“Sometimes, a customer wanting to buy appliances is not comfortable dealing with me. There were times when I was scolded and made fun of for being different. They would ask my able-bodied colleague to attend to them instead,” said the 27-year-old.

“I am grateful for having a job. I do have some good colleagues who help me out.

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“I just can’t control how customers react. Sometimes they ridicule me, but for the sake of earning a living, I just take it.”

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An e-hailing driver, who prefers to be known as Fifie, said oftentimes drivers with disabilities were misunderstood by customers who assume they were capable like others.

“I just hope people will understand our plight before judging us. OKU need a job to support themselves,” said Fifie who has encountered “all kinds of passengers”.

The 40-year-old from Ampang, who has a physical disability affecting his face, has been an e-hailing driver since 2019.

He said he has been cheated by non-paying passengers on several occasions, in addition to dealing with demeaning customers and their petty behaviour.

“The stigma is sometimes hard to deal with,” he said.

Despite decreasing fares, Fifie said some passengers still complained of high charges.

“I usually don’t argue with passengers but contact the platform’s customer service for assistance to ensure my protection as an OKU,” he said.

Fifie said it will be helpful if the e-hailing platform informed passengers of the driver’s disability.

“This will help passengers understand their driver’s condition and why, for example, they might not be able to assist with the luggage,” he said.

Senator Isaiah Jacob said he will raise matters related to OKU at the upcoming Dewan Negara meeting, including a suggestion to cut pensions for government servants involved in their mistreatment.

“The government should introduce this penalty,” he said when contacted.

Isaiah added that more awareness campaigns at schools, universities and community are needed.

He said he will be paying a visit to Ahmad Noh Al Faizan Jusoh who was assaulted by a group of men after crashing his motorcycle into a stall at the Pasar Tani Taman Astaka in Chukai, Terengganu, earlier this month.

Isaiah said he also intended to visit the accident site to find out what had transpired that day.

Aeon Co (M) Bhd chief human resources officer Dr Kasuma Satria emphasised on the importance of “awareness, education and inclusion” in hiring and working with OKU.

“Their circumstances are not by choice. It is unfair to disregard or ignore them.

“Everyone has a role to play in creating an inclusive workplace and society.”

Dr Kasuma said OKU have hopes and dreams and should be treated as ordinary members of society, which he believed was not too much to ask for.

“It is wrong if we fail to support them, and provide the basic level of respect and inclusion.”

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