Kota bharu: Behind her diminutive physique, Nik Zalbiha Nik Mat harbours a strong spirit and sharp mind who has finally made history as the first person with disability (OKU) to hold the highest position in the Malaysian civil service. Originally from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Nik Zalbiha, 59, is now able to ‘stand tall’ with normal people, when she became the director-general of the National Digital Department (JDN) despite being a disabled person, and dedicated her achievement as the most meaningful gift to her parents who tirelessly supported her.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, having joined the civil service in 1992, the mother of three and the only one with OKU status out of seven siblings said the two main challenges she faced from school to the university were the infrastructure constraints for special people like her and the negative perception of society. “Although physical disabilities are often seen as a dividing line, the gift of thought and intelligence that knows no bounds is the key to survival. As an OKU, I am grateful to be blessed with a mind equal to that of other people,” she shared.
During her school days in the 70s and 80s, Nik Zalbiha had to overcome physical barriers such as climbing stairs daily to reach her classes, laboratories, or offices, as accessible routes were not available. At university, she faced similar challenges, having to walk long distances and carry heavy bags. Despite these obstacles, she persevered and earned a Master’s Degree in Information Security from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). She noted that societal perceptions often equate physical disabilities with a lack of mental ability, which she had to constantly overcome.
Nik Zalbiha credits her success to three core philosophies: mental toughness with a positive attitude, education as a key asset, and effective communication skills, while emphasizing that self-confidence is more important than sympathy. After completing her studies with a Bachelor of Computer Science in 1989, she pursued a career in Information Technology, which was recommended by her brother due to its promising job opportunities.
She highlighted the significant role IT has played in her life and career, from facilitating distance learning to creating digital job opportunities. The government’s push toward digitalization, like the launch of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) in 1996, further emphasized the sector’s importance.
As the leader of JDN, Nik Zalbiha is committed to promoting digital inclusivity for the disabled community, ensuring equal opportunities through digital transformation. Her strategies include empowering digital skills among the disabled, enhancing access to government services, and developing OKU-friendly technology using AI and automation.
In conjunction with International Dwarfism Awareness Day, Nik Zalbiha hopes to shift public perception from sympathy to sincere respect and eliminate discrimination against the physically disabled. “Eliminate degrading treatment, support the social inclusion and careers of dwarfs, as well as respect personal autonomy by avoiding any behaviour that violates personal rights, such as holding or lifting us without permission,” she urged.
Recognized as a public sector ICT expert in 2015 and 2016, Nik Zalbiha has been directly involved in over 20 government agency digitization projects. She was appointed as an ICT Consultant in 2023, became the chief ICT consultant (System Development) in early 2024, and played a key role in the formation of the Data Sharing Act 2025 before being appointed as director-general of JDN on June 5.