Page 2 - Mainstreamer e-Magazine Volume 1, Issue 3 - August 2023
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MESSAGE FROM THE
CHIEF EDITOR
Makmor Tumin
Active Citizenship and Inclusive Growth in Southeast services in countries like the Philippines, as well
Asia as discussing the rights of PWDs in the legal and
he world has shrunk as people from all over political spectrum, with Vietnam as the case in
the globe can now communicate in real time. focus. It also highlights the mental and behavioural
THowever, this does not necessarily imply that shifts required to face challenges as PWDs, as
division and segregation are no longer present. well as briefly showcasing the success story of
Concepts such as white and black, male and PWD employment in Thailand and the underlying
female, and the West and the East persist. Some reasons enabling such success. Furthermore, it also
of these divisions serve a useful purpose, while features various innovations and developments
others may not. Another example is the distinction in the technological and treatment spheres as
between disability and non-disability, which a means to improve the overall quality of life of
requires an in-depth understanding. PWDs, such as those in Malaysia and Thailand.
Everyone wants to be treated equally, but The magazine’s specific objectives are as
what does it mean to treat them equally while follows:
recognising their differences? Individuals who a. To provide a platform for individuals with
identify as black, female, Eastern, or disabled disabilities to voice their ideas and concerns
all expect to be treated fairly and without discri- b. To enable individuals with disabilities to use
mination. Therefore, inclusiveness mechanisms, their skills and talents in electronic media
such as those launched internationally, have been c. To recognise the knowledge, skills, and
instituted, including the Convention on the Rights talents of individuals with disabilities in order
of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Salamanca to promote and improve their employability
Statement, and the Incheon Strategy. Meanwhile, in the labour market
in Malaysia, such a mechanism was instituted as
early as 2007 under the National Policy for Persons d. To provide individuals with disabilities
with Disabilities 2007 and was later enacted in the and those interested in disability issues
Persons with Disabilities Act 2008. the opportunity to earn income through
When pushed to its limit, the inclusiveness honorariums.
concept could be perceived as exclusive if persons UM Press is the publisher of this magazine. We
with disabilities (PWDs) expect their respective would like to thank the ASEAN University Network
governments to prioritise their welfare and on Disability and Public Policy (AUN-DPPnet) for
education exclusively, resulting in both inclusivity funding our initiative.
and exclusivity. In such a situation, we hope that
this magazine serves as a guide to help understand
the complexity of this issue and find a balance
between inclusivity and exclusivity.
This edition addresses many perspectives,
capturing the experience of PWDs in navigating
challenges to education and inaccessible public
