Malaysia: RM80 Million Allocation For The Disabled

The government today announced an allocation of RM80 million for the management and welfare of the disabled people.

In making the announcement, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that at the cabinet meeting recently, the government approved an allocation of RM60.1 million for the management of the disabled.

A special allocation of RM20.9 million was also approved for activities jointly with the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for charitable programmes to help these special people, he said.

Abdullah said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government had the welfare of the people, particularly the disabled group, at heart.

He was launching the "Semai Bakti" phase two charity programme organised jointly by the Welfare Organisation of the Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti) and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, here.

Abdullah said the government was making efforts to ease the burden of those who had disabled children by taking into account their daily expenses besides giving various subsidies including the price of petrol and other essential items.

The "Semai Bakti" programme, which is a rehabilitation programme within the community (PDK), aims to assist the disabled group and their families in a particular area.

Abdullah said that because of the numerous subsidies provided by the government, some groups claimed that the people had a 'subsidy mentality', but that was the government's way of easing their burden.

He said that under the allocation, the government had increased the subsidy for rental of PDK premises from RM500 monthly to RM3,000 while the monthly allocation for utilities was RM1,000.

In addition, the government had also raised the allocation for activities for the disabled people from RM5,000 previously to RM30,000 while the special allowance for the disabled was raised from RM50 to RM150 per month.

As for the employees at the PDK, their monthly allowance had been increased from RM500 to RM800 besides creating a special allowance of RM1,200 per month for PDK supervisors.

Each PDK is also given a 'one off' allocation of RM50,000 for the purchase of rehabilitation equipment for use by the disabled people and an allocation of RM2 million for the construction of PDK premises in areas that did not have a permanent PDK building.

Meanwhile, Abdullah said the government would increase the number of enforcement officers to tighten price control on essential goods to ensure that traders did not raise their prices.

In another development, the Prime Minister urged the people to play a role in looking after the safety of their children and home which would contribute towards reducing the crime rate.

He said domestic crime was the responsibility of the people and they should not depend solely on the police to monitor their overall safety.

He also asked the police to rent houses or shophouses in the centre of town to be used as a temporary police station while waiting for the permanent building to be completed because the presence of the police would build up public confidence on the security situation in their area.

-- BERNAMA