Women’s ministry working on amendments to OKU Act

 

Wong Yoon Loong (right), executive director of the National Council for the Blind, Malaysia, being presented with the Special OKU Award (Activist). (Bernama pic)

PUTRAJAYA: The government is working to resolve amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 before they are tabled at the Dewan Rakyat, an official said today.

The government also hopes to forward to the United Nations next year its report on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said Maziah Che Yusof, secretary-general of the ministry for women, family and community development.

“We are aware of the need to amend the Act in tandem with the passage of time and the changing needs,” she said in a speech at the launch of celebrations to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Her speech was read by a deputy secretary-general, Chua Choon Hwa.

Maziah said the ministry was coordinating the achievements of the 20 leading agencies in the PwD Action Plan 2016-2022. These will be presented to the National Council for Persons with Disabilities at its meeting early next year.

At the event, Chua presented awards to disabled individuals and organisations for the disabled, including:

• the OKU Special Award (Sports) to powerlifting athlete Bonnie Bunyau Gustin;
• Special OKU Award (Activist) to the National Council for the Blind, Malaysia executive director Wong Yoon Loong;
• Exemplary Disabled Parents Award to Aznah Mohd Jani; and
• Concerned Employer Award (Private) to companies such as Flextronics Technology (Penang) Sdn Bhd, TCRS Restaurants Sdn Bhd and Koperasi Warga USM Kelantan Bhd. - FMT