The government proposes to appoint a senator from among the disabled to fill the chair vacated by senator Prof Datuk Dr Ismail Md Salleh who died of a heart attack on Aug 27.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil told the Dewan Negara today that the list of candidates would be submitted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for consideration.

She was replying to a supplementary question from senator Saripah Aminah Syed Mohamed who wanted to know whether the government would recommend another disabled person to fill the vacancy created by the death of Ismail, 61, who was the first disabled person to be appointed a senator.

Dr Ismail, a economist, was the first blind person to be awarded a doctorate.

- Bernama