Article - The Star on 02-03-2012

Selangor adopts training centre

Friday, March 2, 2012

Selangor adopts training centre

THE Independent Living and Training Centre Malaysia (ILTC Malaysia) will be adopted by the state to run programmes for the disabled.

Rawang assemblyman Gan Pei Nei, who pledged RM10,000 to ILTC for its new building, said the state was impressed with how ILTCM helped the disabled community.

Gan, who has been appointed special assistant to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, said she would bring State Welfare Committee chairman Rodziah Salleh to visit the ILTCM new building in Kampung Sungai Bakau Tambahan in Rawang.

“ILTCM is a role model for the disabled community. Currently, there are many public facilities that are not disabled-friendly like public transportation, banks and car parks,’’ said Gan during ILTCM fund-raising dinner held at Restoran Yau Kee in Rawang.

Selayang Parliamentary coordinator Jessie Ooi pledged RM10,000 while Selayang MP William Leong pledged RM3,000.

The major pledges were from Tan Sri Halim Ali, who is Gapurna Sdn Bhd chairman, giving RM50,000 and a group of individuals from Bala and Anand pledging RM5,000.

ILTCM president Francis Siva said that the centre’s target was almost half-way there after raising RM130,000 during the dinner.

“We need RM300,000 to complete our own building in Kampung Sungai Bakau Tambahan.

“So far, ILTCM has forked out about RM400,000 and their one-storey building is about 70% complete.

“At present, the training centre for the disabled is situated in a bungalow at Taman Garing in Rawang where the association has been renting for 12 years.

“We need a building that can accommodate and train about 20 to 30 disabled people at a time.

“In 2005, the previous state government had given us a 30,400sq ft lot in Kg Sg Dua Tambahan and we had purchased an additional 13,000sq ft of land in October 2010 next to our existing plot to make the area bigger,’’ said Francis.