Chow Kon Yeow: 曹观友

The proposed new Act for Persons with Disabilties is still disabled. I have asked in Parliament today “why the Act is still not approved” and the Minister gave a written reply as follows:

Rang UndangUndang Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU) masih dalam peringkat penyediaan. Pada masa ini draf pertama Rang Undang-Undang tersebut telah dirangka dan telah dibincang bersama pertubuhan-pertubuhan sukarela OKU dan beberapa agensi yang terbabit pada 23 hingga 25 Februari 2006…..Dasar OKU dijangka akan dimuktamadkan dalam tahun ini bersama dengan Akta OKU.”

Also, as at 31 December 2004, there are 150,617 registered as persons with disabilities with the Welfare Department. This represents 0.6 percent of the population.

According to the United Nations, it is estimated that one percent of a country’s population be classified as persons with disabilities. As such, it is estimated that there are about 260,000 persons with disabilities in Malaysia at the end of 2005.
This means more than 100,000 persons with disabilities are still not registered with the Welfare Department.

I am sure my friends, especially those at the Penang Chinese Society for Disabled Persons and volunteers, would be disappointed again to know that they have to wait much longer for the Act to be approved by Parliament.

I think the Minister should work harder to get the Act approved for all persons with disabilities in the country.

A new bill on Malaysian Health Promotion Board 2006 has been tabled for first reading today.

The purpose is to incorporate the Malaysian Heaith Promotion Board and to establish the Malaysian Health Promotion Fund.

Clause 14 sets out the objectives of the Board which are mainly related to building the capacity and funding health-related, sport, recreational and cultural organizations to promote health. The objectives also include developing and supporting multi-strategy programmes that promote healthy lifestyles and environments and preventing the use of tobacco products.

The Fund is to be disbursed annually to different sectors for health promotion programmes and activities; not less than 50 percent to health organisations, not more than 30 percent to sporting and recreational organizations and not more than 10 percent to cultural organizations.

To keep the Fund running, annual allocation will be given by the Government and also grants, donations, gifts, contributions, bequests or any other sums received by the Board from any sources EXCEPT from those involved or related to tobacco, tobacco products or intoxicating liquor manufacturers, wholesalers, retaiers or their agents.

Hopefully Malaysians will be more healthy, a prerequisite for a better standard of living.