NST Letter: Aid for the disabled: RM500 allowance closer to the mark

IT is most thoughtful and timely of Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen to raise the qualifying ceiling for the disabled in order to obtain their monthly workers' allowance so that they can better cope with the rising cost of living.

However, we in the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive) are disappointed that the monthly allowance of RM300 has not been raised to RM500 for each disabled Malaysian as we had suggested in our meeting with the minister.

The reason for our suggestion is that the disabled face a higher cost of living. They not only have to pay for aids specific to their disabilities -- wheelchairs, crutches, braille material and hearing aids -- but also medication that can run into hundreds of ringgit per month.

The RM300 is at present only for those with jobs. What about those who can't work, such as the paralysed and those who are bedridden?

The government should make it such that people like these are able to automatically qualify for the same amount of financial aid instead of being considered on a case-by-case basis as appears to be the current policy.
Petpositive once again would like to call for the increase of the disability allowance to RM500 a month for every disabled person, regardless of what kind of handicaps they have and whether they are working or not.