Disabled who voted for PH hoping for good news

WITHIN the next two weeks, for the first time in our nation’s history, there is a good chance of good news for Malaysians with disabilities.

This is riding on Pakatan Harapan’s promises to people with disabilities, especially those who went out in their wheelchairs, crutches and canes and voted for them.

The government can give disabled persons a permanent monthly allowance of RM500 to help meet our needs.

According to the United Nations, persons with disabilities rank not only as the “largest minority group” but also as the “poorest among the poor in every society and country”.

A RM500 assistance will be a godsend to the disabled, who have been struggling to live like everyone else.

This help would cut across and reach out to all disabled persons.

These include paraplegic to tetraplegics (persons paralysed from the neck down), the blind, deaf, those with learning disabilities and mental illnesses.

It will help us pay for things from medication, disability aid and food to helpers.

Many don’t realise we have extra expenses as a handicapped person compared with being able-bodied.

We have been asking for financial relief from the previous government for a long time, but it fell on deaf ears.

That’s why many of us voted for Pakatan Harapan as we think a new government would understand us better.

What we are asking for is not charity but justice.

We think this is the least that the authorities can do for not catering for our needs, which is our inalienable right, when they planned our nation’s infrastructure from the beginning.

We feel disabled persons should get the financial help in addition to what some might get from the Welfare Department.

This financial aid will also motivate more parents to register their disabled children with the government.

So you can understand why so many of us are excited and hopeful at this time about the 2020 Budget as RM500 will make a world of difference.

ANTHONY THANASAYAN

Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association, Petaling Jaya, Selangor