KOTA KINABALU: Families of persons with disabilities (OKU) have been urged to register their family members with the Sabah Social Welfare Department (JPKA) to enable the state to extend assistance to them, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The Chief Minister said that the state government was always committed to helping those with disabilities in Sabah so that they would not be sidelined.
So far, a total of 43,214 persons with disabilities, including 3,597 with visual impairments, have been registered with the JPKA as of Dec 29 last year.
“It is important for them to be registered with the department so they can receive help, including value-added-skill programmes.
“This can help such members of the community to be independent as well as contribute to their family’s earnings besides themselves,” Hajiji said in his speech in conjunction with the national-level World Braille Day Celebration at the Sabah State Library in Tanjung Aru here on Wednesday (Jan 4).
Towards this end, he added, the registration would make it easier for the government to plan as well as prepare improved facilities and services for the disabled.
“There are many privileges for the OKU who have been registered with the JPKA, including the facilitation of funds and benefits to them,” he said in his speech that was delivered by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Abidin Madingkir.
On the celebration, Hajiji commended the celebration of World Braille Day at the Sabah state library, which also came in for special mention by the Chief Minister for having OKU-friendly facilities.
According to him, the Sabah state library was the first library in the country to provide services as well as facilities for the visually impaired.
“The Sabah State Library is also continuously committed to helping and supporting this community.
“This included organising a tactile workshop to produce special tactile books or story books in Braille,” he said.
Hajiji said the World Braille Day celebration was important as it encouraged awareness of the significance of the Braille system as a communication medium as well as giving recognition to the rights of the visually impaired.
In line with this commitment, he said the state government has implemented various initiatives to ensure the OKU community received equal rights.
This included sponsorship for the visually impaired to enrol in the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) entrepreneurship programmes organised by the Pertubuhan Amal Pembangunan Usahawan OKU Penglihatan (Perkum) Malaysia.
“The Sabah Society For The Blind, which has branches at Sandakan, Keningau and Tawau, also plays an important role in providing service, including providing information on job opportunities for the visually impaired,” Hajiji said.
