Allocations for people with disabilities welcomed

KUCHING: Persatuan Anak Istimewa Sarawak (Perais) yesterday welcomed the government’s announcement that starting next year, it would fully bear the cost of motor vehicle licences of all private vehicles owned by people with disabilities (PWDs).
This was one of the highlights of the 2022 Budget presented by Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz at the Dewan Rakyat in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
Perais’ president Rapelson Richard Hamit also urged the government to fully bear the full cost of licences of all private vehicles owned by spouses of PWDs as those who were visually impaired were dependent on others for mobility.
“The association also suggests that the government provide a half-price discount on Malaysia-made vehicles so that PWDs can purchase them and earn income by providing e-hailing service,” he said.
Rapelson pointed out that the government should also look into the needs of those who were visually impaired.
“The upgrading of public transport should be given more emphasis in Sarawak as these people often use e-hailing facilities and the costs are quite high,” he said.
Rapelson said under the 2022 Budget, the government should also focus on providing employment and business opportunities to PWDs in order to meet its goal of one percent PWD-employment target.
“In addition, grants for PWDs must be detailed to encourage them to venture into business and help PWD-owned businesses to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
“The disabled need more employment opportunities in the public and private sector as well as economic and business opportunities in facing and recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Rapelson said that his association also hoped organisations and clubs that support the disabled should be given due attention by the government when channelling assistance in the form of financial aid to associations and clubs affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The budget should focus on the empowerment of the disabled in all fields including employment and the economy to reduce their dependence on government assistance,” he stressed.
Rapelson added that Perais fully supported the allocation of RM30 million to upgrade the government building infrastructure so that they would be PWD-friendly, and the allocation of RM10 million to independent training centres and government industrial training and rehabilitation centres to implement training and mentoring programmes for the disabled.