Budget 2011 reactions

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 16, 2010)

"The Government had allocated RM6.4 billion for the Education Ministry to development expenditure to build and upgrade schools, hostels, facilities and equipment. The Ministry of Education shall draw up an intensive and comprehensive plan to ensure the money allocated to upgrade schools will be utilized in line with the “inclusive education” system.

"The inclusive education system comprises of an accessible infrastructure and well trained teachers whom can cater for all students. The inclusive system will enable the disabled students to attend “normal schools” just like their normal peers without being segregated to their own group based on their disabilities. This problem has been long overlooked by the government," he said in a statement today.

He said a whooping RM 1.2 billion has been allocated to the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development to carry out various welfare and community programmes which includes RM280 million for training programme to benefit 80,000 registered disabled individuals in this country.

"I strongly recommend the allocation should be utilized more to provide comprehensive trainings such as IT courses, automobile repairing, sales and marketing and others to enable the disabled individuals to cope up with the rapidly growing economic and contribute to the productivity of the country," he said. -- theSun

The Selangor and Federal Territory Damai Disabled Persons Association President V.Murugeswaran

A Success story – Joint effort by MAYBANK and Damai Disabled Persons Association

Damai had earlier this year highlighted to the media and the Malaysian community through various electronic media and news papers on the impact of having financial institutions which are not accessible for people with disabilities (PWD) especially for those who are on wheelchair. http://www.damai.org.my/nstonline1.html

We received a very positive response from Maybank. Their officials had numerous meeting with us and came up with a plan to revamp their branches to cater PWDs. Through various discussion and brain-storming sessions, we had managed to put forward our recommendation on the design and accessibility features which Maybank should adopt, so that it will be a perfect master piece and at the same time will be an example to be followed by the rest of financial institution in this country. We can definitely call this a “pilot project”.

The results was overwhelming, today I went to witness the end product of months of hard works by Maybank and Damai. They had renovated another main Maybank branch in Petaling Jaya with the exact requirements put forward by Damai. This branch definitely will benefit all the PWD’s in Petaling Jaya area. Maybank has set a very high standard in terms of providing an inclusive service and I strongly urge all other financial institution to emulate Maybanks’ effort in creating a “bank for all”.

MPPJ had also played their part in this success story, they had provided special parking bay for PWD right in front of Maybank. I was amazed with the signboard which read “Di Larang Meletak Kenderaan Di Petak Kereta Kecuali OKU Sahaja”. I have to commend MPPJ for playing their role in providing car parks for disabled drivers and hope to see more designated parking for PWD’s in areas which fall under MPPJ’s jurisdiction. Having said that, I also sincerely hope that MPPJ’s officers will ensure that the car park designated for PWD’s will not be misused by public.

Pictures below speaks by itself. The success story of the joint project by Maybank and Damai

Few doors away from the renovated branch, I saw Bank Simpanan Nasional and immediately my mind wander to the issue Damai had highlighted in relation to the hardship PWD’s have to endure in getting their “PWD monthly allowance” from BSN branch at Kepong. http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/news/general/10979-its-not-a-walk-in-the-park-to-get-your-welfare-aid

Bank Simpanan Nasional should take immediate steps to ensure they cater for PWD’s since they are one of the financial institutions which in-charge for distributing the monthly allowance. At the moment, PWD who intends to go to BSN (PJ branch) can utilize the designated car park and the ramp built by Maybank. I strongly urge BSN to keep to their promise to renovate the branches to cater PWD http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/news/general/11320-bsn-vows-to-be-disabled-friendly

Pictures below reflect the hurdles PWD’s have to endure every month . Time for BSN to emulate Maybank’s effort

Budget 2011: Good but not good enough

FRI, 15 Oct 2010 21:19 By Patrick Lee

On the assistance programme to benefit 80,000 disabled individuals with an allocation of RM218 million.“It's good, but how are they going to conduct this? What kind of training is going to be involved here? Are they going to channel it to the disabled rehab centres in Bangi?

I don't think they are going to provide professional training, such as the repairing of cars and handphones, which is what is more required.And the 80,000 mentioned, those are the ones who are registered under the Social Welfare Department. The ones who aren't registered are much more.”

V Murugeswaran,

president of Damai Disabled Association