SUARA16%: Malaysia must tackle systemic barriers, not just fees, to improve PwD access

KUCHING (Jan 29): A coalition of disability rights advocates, SUARA16%, has welcomed the government’s move towards free education but cautioned that this alone will not dismantle long-standing barriers faced by persons with disabilities (PwD) in Malaysia.

SUARA16% said Malaysia’s education set ambitious goals for equity, access, and wellbeing, but lacked clear mechanisms to ensure disabled students can progress on equal terms.

“Free education is important, as cost has long been a barrier, especially for families managing disability-related expenses.

“However, free education alone does not determine who progresses, completes, or is quietly filtered out,” the coalition said in a statement on Wednesday.

Official data shows students with disabilities make up only 0.18 per cent of higher education enrolment — roughly 5,600 students nationwide.

SUARA16% stressed this underrepresentation stems from compounded exclusion early in the education pathway.

The coalition highlighted the Special Education Integration Programme (PPKI), which serves tens of thousands of children with disabilities but was not designed as a clear pathway to higher education.

Many PPKI students follow modified curricula, face limited subject offerings, or are channelled into narrow pathways, leaving some without qualifications required for tertiary programmes.

Transition planning from PPKI to mainstream secondary education and post-school options remains inconsistent, often depending on individual schools and families rather than systemic guarantees.

SUARA16% also raised concerns about higher education admissions, noting that the University Central Unit (UPU) online system’s rigid criteria and automated processes can disadvantage qualified PwD applicants.

“These barriers are embedded in systems never designed with disability inclusion in mind,” the coalition said.

It added that education roadmaps do not clearly address such structural issues.

SUARA16% called for amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 to mandate accessibility and reasonable accommodation from school through university and vocational training, remove systemic barriers in admissions and curriculum design, and provide accountability when exclusion occurs.

“Free education may open the door, but without legal duties and enforcement, there is no guarantee of what follows,” it said.

The statement was endorsed by more than 210 individuals and organisations from the PwD community and their allies.

The coalition warned that as Malaysia faces an ageing population, the cost of exclusion could compound across generations.

“If inclusion is truly a national aspiration, it must exist not only in plans, but in law, as a matter of justice, not case-by-case discretion,” the statement read.