Digital literacy to empower the disabled

KUALA LUMPUR: Digital literacy will help more than half a million persons with disabilities, especially in terms of job opportunities, says Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

He said a newly-introduced Digital Literacy Empowerment Programme for Persons with Disabilities was aimed at connecting the disabled community with government agencies.

The programme, he said, is a testament to the government’s promise to ensure no one will be marginalised in the implementation of policies and initiatives, in line with the Malaysia Madani concept.

Its objectives include increasing awareness of digital technology and advocacy to the community on the best ways to use digital tools, he said.

Apart from that, the programme also sets out to provide information on cybercrime, educate and protect Internet users from threats, as well as increase digital literacy by getting the disabled to be actively involved in the digital ecosystem, he added.

“All these objectives are to be achieved through several modules that include three aspects – Internet awareness, digital entrepreneurship and digital empowerment,” he said at the programme at Pantai Dalam here yesterday.

Fahmi said the modules will be delivered by several government and private agencies consisting of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, the police, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, Mynic, Companies Commission of Malaysia, Shopee and others.

“The digital world acts as a facilitator that gives this community the opportunity to communicate without constraints.

“Therefore, the implementation of the development programme and digital empowerment of disabled youth is done to enable them to use the opportunities as best as possible and increase their marketability,” he said.

Currently, there are 674,892 registered persons with disabilities up until Sept 30, the minister said.