Disabled Waiter Forced To Wear "Sorry, I Am OKU" Tag After Enduring Abuse From Customers
In one instance, the 42-year-old was physically assaulted by a customer for making a mistake while taking an order.
By Sadho Ram — 13 Aug 2024, 02:48 PM
A 42-year-old worker with a learning disability has endured years of verbal abuse, scolding, and even physical assault from customers while working at an eatery on Jalan Dusun Muda in Kota Bharu
He continues to face mistreatment due to misunderstandings that arise while taking orders.
Employed at the eatery for eight years, Che Mohd Fadil Che Abdul Rahman's experience highlights the vulnerabilities faced by people with disabilities (OKU) in the workplace, particularly in customer-facing roles.
He has faced scolding and ridicule, and in one instance, the 42-year-old was even physically assaulted by a customer for making a mistake while taking an order.
In response to repeated incidents, he was forced to wear a name tag reading "Sorry, I am OKU" as a protective measure. However, this has not entirely prevented further incidents, according to Berita Harian.
Fadil, fondly called Pakdo, describes his job as stressful, particularly when multiple orders lead him to be overwhelmed and confused
"My job is to take orders, and when there are many confusing instructions, I become stressed," he said.
The introduction of the name tag has led to a reduction in customer complaints to his employer, Wan Marnizena Najib, 48, as some customers become aware of his condition.
"Many customers have been more understanding since I started wearing the tag; there are fewer complaints about me these days," he was quoted as saying by the Malay daily.
However, the need for such a label highlights the lack of support for workers with disabilities.
His employer acknowledged that Fadil is hardworking
The 48-year-old owner of the eatery said that Fadil was initially hired for dishwashing duties but later requested to take on the role of a waiter and take orders.
"There were frequent mistakes, whether due to taking the wrong order or because of his sometimes 'moody' demeanour, which led to misunderstandings with customers," Wan Marnizena was quoted as saying.
