KUALA LUMPUR: The Association for the Protection of the Natural Heritage of Malaysia (Peka) has urged the government to set aside funds to acquire state-of-the-art equipment to curb illegal environmental activities and designate more green spaces.
Association president Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said that was on Peka's wish list and she hoped that it would be considered in the 2021 Budget, which will be tabled in Parliament on Friday.
"We hope to see more allocations for the creation of forest reserves, as well as the preservation and enlarging of existing reserves.
"At the same time, funds must be given for the modernisation of enforcement, such as satellite imaging services, to detect illegal encroachment, logging and mining in forest reserves or buffer zones.
"By including these latest methods and technologies to enforcement capabilities, no excuses can be given when forest reserves are illegally used," she told the New Straits Times.
When asked if Peka would propose that additional grants or financial aid be extended to environmental non-governmental organis-ations (NGOs) to conduct research, studies and more activities to raise awareness, Shariffa Sabrina said she was agreeable to it as long as there was transparency in doing so.
While Peka has not depended on financial injection from the government for its role in preserving and protecting nature, Shariffa Sabrina said other environmental NGOs deserved to receive it, provided there was no hidden agenda to silence the receivers.
She said assistance should not be channelled to get recipients to turn a blind eye to environmental offences.
"Instead, a pledge of integrity must be signed by the fund-giver and the receiver to expose and protest any crime against nature.
"The financial aid is funded by the public. So we must ask that NGOs, research organisations and educational institutions receiving these funds be held accountable to the goal for which the funds are approved."
She said failure to achieve the goals must be investigated, followed by blacklisting or demands for the return of funds.
"Clear monitoring of what the funds are used for and the final results of any work or research done must be presented to the public for review."
Autism Café Project founder Mohd Adli Yahya said he hoped the budget would open more opportunities to people like him to develop autistic children into future entrepreneurs or able staff, paving the way for their independence.
In 2016, Adli set up the Autism Café Project, a social enterprise food catering business to support his autistic and nonverbal teenage son, Muhammad Luqman Shariff, by giving him a space to learn work skills.
Today, the project has six autistic children who make kuih, biscuits and cakes as well as cook nasi kerabu, roti jala, begedil, muruku and tempe to sell alongside products such as handmade soaps.
Luqman recently ventured into the business of making beaded bracelets.
Adli said it would be ideal for the government to consider providing them a shoplot or space to sell their food items and products, or use it to set up another branch of their only café, which is at SACC Mall in Shah Alam.
He said there had been administrative challenges in meeting the criteria for grant applications in the past and hoped that the process would be eased.
"There are grants offered, but sometimes the terms and conditions are not practical where to qualify, there must be a business plan, income statements and other requirements to fulfil, which are hard for us.
"I know these are for the sake of good practices, but at the end of the day, we just need to survive.
"I hope that the government will think about supporting us by giving a space, whether at a subsidised rate or for free, and letting us run it in accordance with our own plans and ability."
Adli said the government could get government-linked companies and agencies to support the cause through the use of their food catering services or sourcing souvenir items from them.
Lighthouse Children Welfare Home Association co-founder Jacinta Steven said she hoped that the budget would offer financial relief for children in the form of school fees and subsidies for Internet connection as well as laptops, which are necessary now that schools are closed due to Covid-19.
"Many of the children are home-bound as schools are closed because of the pandemic. However, they do not have laptops.
"Wi-Fi connection is available only at the main house in Jalan Cenderai, Lucky Garden, Kuala Lumpur, and not at the other three premises.
"As a result, a majority of them who are primary and secondary school students cannot attend online lessons.
"I hope the government will address this in the budget. We give them workbooks so that their studies are not disrupted," said Jacinta.
The home has 63 occupants, ranging from schoolchildren to college and university students, aged between 6 and 24. They are living on four premises in Lucky Garden and Bangsar.
Jacinta said she hoped the govermment would look into lowering the annual school fees of about RM160 each for the home's primary and secondary students.
"We have to dig deep into our pockets to settle the fees as most of them are in school.
"On top of that, Year 6 and Form 5 students are required to pay graduation fees when they leave school.
"We have a college student who won a scholarship, but we have to bear the cost of hostel accommodation and food, which come up to RM600 a month.
"These expenses are a burden to us and we hope the government will absorb certain fees to help these children."
She said she hoped the government's electricity subsidy at the main house would be extended to the three other premises.
They are paying RM4,000 monthly for all four premises.
She said the home was facing financial challenges as it had lost monthly sponsorships from expatriates who had left Malaysia due to unemployment amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said they were looking for local sponsors.