Disabled Handed Over Healthcare Demands To Suhakam

Disabled Handed Over Healthcare Demands To Suhakam on 21/09/2012

Yesterday, as many as a dozan disabled people - representing the handicapped community in Malaysia - are demanded for much better treatment for healthcare and services by the government.

Leaders of two national disability groups PETPOSITIVE and the Independent Living and Training Centre Malaysia are handed over a memorandum to Suhakam Commissioners James Nayagam listed down our demands for a higher quality of living for the disabled community.

The memo reads:

MEMORANDUM TO SUHAKAM ON 21 SEPTEMBER 2012 BY DISABLED GROUPS ON HIGHER QUALITY OF LIVING FOR OLDER DISABLED AND AGEING PERSONS IN SHELTER HOME, NO: 4, JALAN TINGGI 6/12, OFF JALAN GASING, 46000 PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR.

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WE, DISABLED MALAYSIANS WHO ARE AGEING WITH HANDICAPS ARE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE NO POLICIES THAT ARE SET UP TO TAKE CARE OF PERSONS GROWING OLDER WITH DISABILITIES AS WELL AS THE INCREASING ELDERLY POPULATION IN THE EVENT OF DISABILITY.

AS PERSONS WHO HAVE LIVED WITH DISABILITIES ALL OUR LIVES SPANNING SEVERAL DECADES, WE THEREFORE DEMAND THAT OUR NEEDS AND RIGHTS BE LOOKED INTO IMMEDIATELY AND BE REFLECTED ON THE UPCOMING BUDGET SPEECH ON 28 SEPTEMBER 2012.

WE INSIST ON THE FOLLOWING:

1) IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTHCARE FOR DISABLED AND ELDERLY PERSONS:

• All medication to be provided absolutely free of charge in all government hospitals to persons with disabilities who are registered with the Social Welfare Department. Although it is said to have been done, many disabled patients have been told to buy medication elsewhere when they need it. Medication should include cotton balls, gauzes and other items needed especially for treating bed and pressure sores often affecting wheelchair users.

• Nurses should be made available to make home visits from the nearest government hospitals to disabled and elderly people who require health services, especially those discharged from hospitals and needing professional health care at home.

2) CAREGIVERS FOR PROFOUNDLY DISABLED PERSONS AND THOSE AGEING WITH DISABILITIES.

• Caregivers to deal with disabled and elderly persons should undergo special training. They should include local and foreign workers. Levy and other fees should be waived for caregivers for the disabled. This is important as parents and family members pass away leaving the disabled person with no one to look after them. In overseas countries, they are provided by the government. Care should be taken that poorer communities also have access to such services.

3) SPECIAL FINANCIAL AID FOR ALL DISABLED PERSONS IN MALAYSIA.

• A flat rate of RM500 should be given to all disabled persons in Malaysia, regardless it their handicaps or their employment status. This should be given in addition to whatever some might be receiving. The money will go for a variety of reasons, rising costs, to repairs of assistive devices, transport and caregiver costs.

4) PENSIONS OF GOVERNMENT SERVANTS FOR DISABLED CHILDREN.

• This should be given to all categories of disabled persons and not just those who are “severely mentally retarded” and the bedridden. This is pure discrimination.

The abovementioned statement is endorsed by:

A) Independent Living & Training Centre Malaysia (ILTC Malaysia)

B) Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (PETPOSITIVE)

C) Persatuan Orang Kurang Upaya Anggota & Penglihatan Malaysia (Persatuan Cahaya Ehsan)

D) Persatuan Budi Penyayang Pahang

E) Persatuan Orang Kurang Upaya Anggota Melayu Malaysia (Permata)

PKNS bina rumah mampu milik mesra OKU

PKNS bina rumah mampu milik mesra OKU

BANGI : Prihatin dengan kemudahan Orang Kelainan Upaya (OKU),  Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) tampil membina rumah kos rendah yang mesra golongan berkenaan. Sebagai permulaan terletak di Seksyen 3, Bandar Baru Bangi sebanyak empat unit rumah dibina khas untuk OKU dan konsep ini mendapat pujian dari Exco Perumahan, Pengurusan Bangunan dan Setinggan, Iskandar Abdul Samad. Beliau yang ditemui selepas mengadakan lawatan tapak bagi melihat perkembangan projek ini berkata idea ini akan digunakan untuk beberapa projek perumahan mampu milik yang akan dibina kelak. “Tahniah saya ucapkan kepada PKNS dan pihak arkitek kerana memikirkan konsep ini dengan menampilkan beberapa kemudahan kepada OKU.  “Reka bentuk disini lebih luas berbanding rumah kos rendah. Tedapat balkoni bagi setiap rumah serta disediakan tempat santai dan berkumpul untuk orang ramai di tingkat atas,” katanya. Katanya, setakat ini Kerajaan Negeri masih berbincang untuk memperuntukkan beberapa unit rumah kepada OKU dalam projek perumahan akan datang. Konsep ini sebenarnya difikirkan hasil perbincangan secara menyeluruh melibatkan pihak Kerajaan Negeri, pemaju dan swasta. Projek pangsapuri enam tingkat di Seksyen 6,  Bandar Baru Bangi mempunyai 124 unit rumah dimulakan pada tahun 2011 dan dijangka siap pada Februari 2013. Setakat ini, kerja-kerja pembinaan siap 55 peratus. Kos pembangunan projek ini ditanggung sepenuhnya oleh PKNS dengan keluasan 700 hingga 800 kaki persegi (kps) dan ia terletak di atas tanah pegangan bebas. Harga jualan bagi seunit pangsapuri ini dalam lingkungan RM60,000 hingga RM99,000 dan dijangka tidak melebihi RM150,000.

Wednesday September 19, 2012

 

Telco holds open house

By MUHD BASYAR MUSTAPHA 
basyar@thestar.com.my

Specially for you: Sandip Das (third from right) presenting a free mobile phone, Hotlink starter pack and top-up ticket to Francis Siva. Looking on (from right) are Maxis corporate affairs division head Mariam Bevi Batcha, Sandip’s wife Purnima Das and Maxis Berhad head of compliance, regulatory & government liaison Azmi Ujang.

Residents of various charitable homes were invited to Maxis Berhad’s Hari Raya charity open house recently.

The 123 guests were from Pusat Dalam Komuniti (PDK) Kampung Kenanga, Pusat Jagaan Nur Hikmah, Rumah Jagaan dan Rawatan Orang Tua Al-Ikhlas, 

 Pusat Jagaan Kanak-Kanak Kurang Upaya Kirtarsh and Rumah Victory

They were treated to a spread of traditional Malay delicacies and Hari Raya songs.

To add to the festive cheer, residents of the homes were given RM50duit raya each. The homes also received RM10,000 each from Maxis.

The event also saw Maxis recognising selected caregivers by rewarding them with mobile devices, starter packs and top ups.

Maxis chief executive officer Sandip Das said the organisation always looked forward to sharing the joy of the festive season especially with the residents of the charitable homes.

“Holding this event gives us the opportunity to strengthen our relationship with the community and contribute to the well-being of the underprivileged and disabled children also adults.

“We also wanted to show our appreciation to the caregivers for dedicating their lives for the betterment of society.

“Their tireless efforts demonstrate how the spirit of giving can transform lives,” said Das.

Among the caregivers celebrated was Roslina Ahmad of the National Association for the Deaf Malaysia, who said she was grateful for the recognition given by Maxis.

Another caregiver Francis Siva of Independent Living and Training Centre said he appreciated the acknowledgement from Maxis.

“We at the centre also admire the good works that Maxis has been doing for the unfortunate people out there,” said Siva.