Ras Adiba calls on govt to stop JKMPay implementation

 

KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Jan -- Pengerusi Pertubuhan Berita Nasional Malaysia (Bernama) Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi menyampaikan ucapan pada majlis perasmian program Singgah Kebun@Sungai Bunus di Kebun Kejiranan Sungai Bunus hari ini. --fotoBERNAMA (2022) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

KUALA LUMPUR: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has been urged to stop the implementation of the cashless welfare assistance payment pilot project through JKMPay.

Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi (pic) said the JKMPay, which is an initiative towards digitising the delivery of assistance to people with disabilities (PwD), did not seek the prior views of the community itself.

In a statement Wednesday (Feb 2), she requested for the EPOKU (EPC) payment of RM450 to be reinstated beginning this month, as it had caused all sorts of problems for the group.

"Once again, I urge the Social Welfare Department to bring up this matter to the National Council for PwD immediately. At the same time, it is hoped that the department will hold engagement sessions with various non-governmental organisations or associations related to the PwD community for their views and feedback on the JKMPay implementation.

"I would like to emphasise once again the phrase 'nothing about us without us'. If you want to do something worthy and good for PwD, please ask and discuss with us first, because only we PwDs would understand the needs of PwDs," she said.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun was earlier reported to have said the JKMPay pilot project was still at the feasibility study stage before being implemented nationwide.

Meanwhile, Ras Adiba said of late, there were several issues or problems faced by the PwDs and it was time that the ministry upgrade the PwD Development Department to a department with full functions and a director from among the PwD group.

"This is to ensure that PwD development and empowerment can be handled properly and fairly," she said in the statement. - Bernama