Saturday January 14, 2012

Sign up, disabled urged

IPOH: A six-month campaign by the Welfare Department early last year to register more disabled Malaysians received lukewarm response.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Senator Datuk Heng Seai Kie said as of November last year, only 331,606 disabled people were registered in the department's records, an increase of 48,402 from the 283,204 people registered as of December 2009.

She said the number was a far cry from the forecast by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the disabled make up 15% of a country's population.

“Malaysia has a population of about 28.6 million. Based on the figures and projection made by WHO, I am convinced that there are many more people with disabilities who are not registered with the Welfare Department,” she told reporters after opening Perak's Disability Day here yesterday.

Heng said there might be a misunderstanding among the public that only the disabled who wished to apply for assistance were required to register with the department.

She said the notion was wrong as all disabled persons must register with the department.

“I want to state here that accurate statistics is important to help the Government formulate an appropriate budget and programmes for the disabled,” she said.

Among the benefits, disabled students are entitled to a monthly allowance of RM150 while disabled workers earning less than RM1,200 monthly are entitled to RM300 each month.

Those who wish to register their disabled friends and family members, can obtain the form at all district Welfare, Health and Labour departments or online via www.jkm.gov.my.