Don't insult the less-fortunate with paltry allowances, the federal government was told yesterday.
Anthony Thanasayan, Petaling Jaya City Council’s first disabled councillor, found the 2009 budget unfriendly to persons of his ilk. He said the RM150 per month allowance for the disabled showed the government’s apathy towards to the plight of the community.
“If a person is bedridden, he or she is likely to have bedsores. The medication costs about RM500- RM1,000 a month. How are they going to survive on RM150?” he asked.
He said the community was also disappointed with Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen because she obviously did not push for better allowances for them. A group of disabled persons met the minister three months ago and asked for a minimum allowance of RM500.
“The allocation only shows that the government does not take us seriously,” he added.
When asked his view on the Persons of Disability Act that came into force last month, Thanasayan said that it wouldn’t be of much help to the disabled if the spirit of the Act was not enforced.
The Persons of Disability Act states the National Council for Persons with Disabilities may require relevant ministries, government agencies, bodies or organisations to submit reports to the council on steps, measures and actions required to be undertaken in complying with provisions of the Act.
The Act is non-punitive and, therefore, powerless to help the disabled.
“In reality, the Act is still holding on to the charity concept which relies on the kindness of society. Why do the laws penalise those who discriminate against women and not us?” he asked.
He believed Malaysians still discriminated against the disabled. As councillor in charge of the disabled, he came across a developer of a condominium who wanted to build a ramp for an elderly disabled man living there. However, the residents’ association of the condominium did not want the ramp built as they believed that it would spoil the ambiance of the place.
“If there was strict enforcement of the Persons of Disability Act, we could have taken legal action against the association. But now there is nothing we can do,” he said.
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