PUTRAJAYA – The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is targeting to resolve amendments to the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) Act 2008 and the Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (CRPD) report next year.
Its secretary-general Datuk Maziah Che Yusof said the ministry was studying proposed amendments to the act before it is tabled in the Dewan Rakyat while the reviewed CRPD national report will be forwarded to the United Nations.
“We are aware of the need to amend the act in tandem with the passage of time and the changing needs brought by various factors,” she said in her speech when launching the 2022 National-level International Day of Persons with Disabilities themed Transformation Towards Inclusive Development: The Role of Innovation In Meeting the Accessibility and Equality of the Disabled here today.
Her speech was read by the ministry’s deputy secretary-general (strategic) Chua Choon Hwa.
Also present was Welfare Department director-general Datuk Shaharuddin Abu Sohot and OKU Sentral president Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi.
Maziah said the ministry remained steadfast in championing the rights of PWD and was open to views or suggestions for the purpose of improving their well-being.
She also said the ministry’s National Council for the Persons With Disabilities will continue to oversee the implementation of national policies related to the disabled, recommend improvements, as well as perform other functions as listed under the PwD Act 2008.
According to her, the ministry was coordinating the achievements of the 20 leading agencies in the PwD Action Plan 2016-2022 to be presented at the council’s meeting early next year.
“Through various consultation and engagement sessions involving all leading agencies, it is the intention of all parties that the information and inputs obtained can be used for the planning and implementation of new, more effective programmes and initiatives specifically to develop and empower the disabled in Malaysia,” she said.
At the event, Chua also presented awards including the OKU Special Award (Sports) to powerlifting athlete Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, Special OKU Award (Activist) to the National Council for the Blind of Malaysia executive director Wong Yoon Loong, Exemplary Disabled Parents Award to Aznah Mohd Jani as well as the Concerned Employer Award (Private) to companies such as Flextronics Technology (Penang) Sdn Bhd, TCRS Restaurants Sdn Bhd and Koperasi Warga USM Kelantan Bhd.
Meanwhile, Wong, 56, said the Special OKU Award (Activist) that he received was recognition for all his and his team’s efforts to empower the visually-impaired disabled.
“I am happy because we can see now education of the visually impaired is getting better, the facilities provided are improving, more opportunities for them to pursue their education at higher learning institutions and, more importantly, public awareness in Malaysia towards the disabled is improving,” he added. – Bernama, December 3, 2022
