KUCHING: The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) reported that the cumulative number of registered Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) at the Department of Social Welfare as of 2023 was 736,607, an increase as compared to 674,500 in 2022.
In a press release dated Dec 12, the department said the figure represents 2.2 per cent of the total population.
It added the learning disability category had the highest registration, with 265,503 individuals.
In the health sector, the number of PWDs receiving health treatment in 2023 increased by 15.5 per cent to 4,551 persons as compared to 3,940 persons in 2022.
Those having learning disabilities recorded the highest number of persons who received health treatment at 85.9 per cent.
A total of 831 infants aged less than one year were diagnosed with disabilities, while 1,453 children aged 18 months were suspected to have autism in 2023.
Findings in the education field showed that the number of special education schools recorded in 2023 was 34 schools consisting of 28 primary schools and six secondary schools.
The number of special education school teachers at the primary level in 2023 decreased by 1.0 per cent to 826 teachers.
Meanwhile, the number of special education school teachers at the secondary level increased by 2.4 per cent to 473 teachers in the same period.
The number of special education school pupils at the primary and secondary levels also recorded an increase in 2023 at 17.5 per cent and 0.9 per cent respectively to 1,736 pupils and 1,055 pupils.
As for employment, there were 3,856 civil servants with disabilities serving in 2023, an increase of 3.5 per cent as compared to 3,724 persons in 2022.
The physical category recorded the highest percentage of 65.2 per cent in 2023, followed by the visually impaired (20.4 per cent) and hearing (8.7 per cent) categories.
Based on the services group, the majority of civil servants with disabilities (66.3 per cent) were under the support group. This was followed by management and professionals (33.5 per cent) and top management (0.2 per cent) groups.
As for welfare services, a total of 761 PWDs resided in Taman Sinar Harapan in 2023 and 96 PWDs were registered as trainees at Bengkel Daya in the same year.
Meanwhile, the Industrial Training and Rehabilitation Center received a total of 11 PWD trainees in 2023 for various training schemes.
In sports, the number of disabled athletes increased by 18.3 per cent in 2023 to 71 persons as compared to 60 persons in 2022.
The majority of these athletes were 58 males as compared to 13 females.
In terms of type of sport, athletics recorded the highest number of athletes with 30 persons. This was followed by swimming (10 persons) and boccia (9 persons).
