LAST Friday’s 2012 budget may have put a smile in most people’s faces. However, not everyone was ecstatic about it by the end of the day.
And it appears for good reason as far as it concerns people like Chong Tuck Meng who hails from Bentong in the state of Pahang.
“I was frankly never really interested in the national budget until I became a wheelchair user after a motorcycle accident 29-years ago,” admitted the 50-year old tetraplegic who is also founder member and adviser of Perwira K9 Malaysia, a national disability organisation that supports people with spinal cord injuries.
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“The lesson that I almost immediately learnt is that being a disabled person in a Malaysian society is extremely difficult.
“There are numerous and very costly obstacles that one has to confront in the social and medical areas in daily living,” Chong explains to Wheel Power.
“And I slowly discovered that national budgets can immensely help to alleviate much of the struggles and hardships that Malaysians with disabilities go through every day.
Chong says he wishes the latest budget had specifically addressed his issues after he became paralysed from his neck down – along with hundreds of other people like him in the country who are rarely heard or seen in public.
“My accident was a total change and a shock in my life,” explains Chong.
“From being a very independent human being before my accident to suddenly needing help for virtually every single thing in my life just to survive another day was rather a cruel blow for any human being to take.
“I needed a fulltime caregiver by my side constantly to give me a glass of water each time I was thirsty or to feed me my meals.
“I also needed to be turned on my bed every 4 hours to prevent bedsores, and carried to my wheelchair for my baths and back again. Other wounds caused by sitting too long in my wheelchair also needed to be dressed daily and so on.”
The medication costs following numerous surgeries and daily medicine as well as a permanent caregiver still takes its toll on Chong’s finances today.
These despite the fact that free medical checkups are available for disabled persons in government hospitals.
However, in most cases than not, many of the medications are not available in hospitals leaving the disabled person to look for it in private and expensive pharmacies.
“Getting to the hospital is also another obstacle as I have to pay RM200.00 just to make a trip to Kuala Lumpur for follow-ups with my specialist,” Chong points out.
“Attending to a tooth problem is worse than the toothache itself as most government dental clinics are located upstairs without a lift. So I have no choice but to go to a private dental clinic and pay a bomb for their services”
The answer to these issues is obvious that the government should identify those who really need help and ensure they are provided with the all the medicine they need, says Chong.
“It’s high time that hospitals everywhere conduct home visits through dedicated nurses.”
Chong says he is eternally grateful to his mum for looking after him since he became disabled all these years.
“However mum is already 80 years old and is now no longer able to take care of me now.
“As a result I’ve had to raise RM 6000 to pay for an Indonesian maid as a caregiver.
“Unfortunately, she ran away after two months and I was told to pay another RM6000 for a replacement maid.
“It took me many months to accumulate the money but it was gone in just two months which keeps us the disabled who really need help constantly at the losing end with no help from the authorities.
“How are we to manage in such a situation and why can’t our government help us in this area? Even politicians have personal assistants, what more we?” Asks Chong.
Chong pointed out to the United States as an example where caregivers who are called “personal attendants” are provided for the profoundly disabled like him by the government.
And such services are also provided for those who need 24-hour care by having a worker for the day and another one for the night.
“This is a great way how the nation’s money can be used for the Rakyat when they are in need,” Chong points out.
He feels a national budget can help in situations like his if the government:
> Do not impose levy on maids employed by Malaysians with disabilities.
> Salary of maids for the disabled be subsidised in part, or better still be paid in full by the government.
> In cases where maids abscond, they be replaced without additional cost.
> All persons with disabilities throughout the nation be given a monthly financial aid of RM500.00
In conclusion, Chong feels that even though the latest budget may have missed these pertinent issues, it is never too late to reach out to the disabled.
“When there is a political will to do something good, there will always be a way!” He says.
1 comment:
Sad and very true.The government of the day is aware of such difficulties affecting the lives of disabilities daily and yet we are left out.Many or I will say all politicians are aware of our needs and problems but they prefer to turn a blind eye.Mr.Anthony I don't know how much time you need to buy to discuss and bring forward the plight of the disable to the minister of Dept.of Social welfare.
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