KUALA LUMPUR: The one-off RM300 aid to pensioners in the 2021 Budget reflects the government's appreciation for their service to the country.
Zainun Zakaria, 60, who was a Petaling Jaya City Council public relations officer, said the aid was helpful amid the rising cost of living.
"This assistance under the allocation for senior citizens helps as daily necessities are not cheap.
"There are also senior citizens who have to buy specific food for their diet, which includes milk and medication.
"During this challenging period, when the country's economy has been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to be thankful for receiving the one-off payment of RM300.
"I am thankful to the government as they did not forget about pensioners like me, who served the government for 32 years," Zainun, who retired in 2017, told the New Straits Times.
Zainun said she would use the money to buy food, such as rice, chilli, onions and ikan bilis.
"I have to be moderate with my spending," said Zainun, who lives with her husband in Klang.
She lauded the allocation of RM50,000 to fund the operations of Senior Citizens Activity Centre (PAWE) run by non-governmental organisations as it encourages people like her to stay active.
"I will look out for activities at the nearest PAWE. I am motivated and will join in programmes that boost my wellbeing in terms of health, religion and recreation.
"PAWE is a good meeting point for senior citizens."
She said she hoped more PAWEs could be opened and made accessible to senior citizens.
Former policeman Mat Lajim Othman, from Melaka, said he was grateful for the one-off payment, although the Budget focused more on the health sector amid the pandemic.
"I am planning to use the money to support small businesses. We should focus on helping them during this tough period."
Sue Yap, 71, welcomed the additional tax deduction for employers hiring senior citizens until 2025.
She said it paved the way for her to continue contributing to the economy.
Yap, a registered staff nurse trained in Perth, Australia, said she was also involved in Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM).
"I can play a role in training nurses and T&CM practitioners."
PB Massage Centre owner Lee Sheng Chow said Penjana Kerjaya's incentive for hiring the disabled helped people with disabilities.
Lee, the Certified Blind Masseurs Association chairman, said it motivated him to provide employment to his peers at his centre in Brickfields here.
"I would like to hire someone with one leg to be a receptionist at my centre or get deaf and speech-impaired people to do the housekeeping.
"This is a good effort. However, there must be a change of mindset for the disabled.
"They must work hard as they are given the chance to do so, and employers, too, must remove their negative perception of hiring the disabled."
Blind massage therapist Mohd Yusaini Yusof described the RM450 allowance for disabled workers as a reasonable amount that would help him with daily expenses and rental.
He welcomed the RM5 unlimited travel pass for commuters but said only a small number of disabled people used the services.
"Perhaps the same benefit can be extended to the Monorail and LRT lines as many of us prefer to use them.
"I hope the RM45 million allocation for special education will see its standards being raised.
"It is high time special education in Malaysia becomes progressive.
"We can follow the footsteps of China or Japan, which have special education universities. I'm sure those universities can be set up in Malaysia and we have disabled people who can help with that."