PETALING JAYA: A senator has accused an MP from PAS of insulting the disabled community by linking autism to the Menu Rahmah scheme to provide affordable meals to lower-income and poor people.
Ras Adiba Radzi, who is wheelchair-bound, represents the disabled community in the Senate. She called for the MP, Dr Halimah Ali (PN-Kapar) to be referred to the privileges committee over her statement.
She said “Dr Halimah Ali’s statement is not based on facts or scientific data and has given a wrong impression to the public”, according to Bernama.
Ras Adiba said that autism spectrum disorder is a neurological disability and not a physical disease; autism could be caused by genetic factors, complications during pregnancy and birth, as well as infections during pregnancy.
The senator urged the health ministry and the ministry of women, family and community development to establish a National Autism Council, and to make it mandatory for autism cases to be reported.
Halimah had created a stir after she was reported to have linked the Rahmah meal scheme to autism and cancer during a Dewan Rakyat debate on the royal address on Feb 14.
Her comments led to brickbats with some MPs calling her to explain her statement, while others telling her to apologise.
Halimah later told the Malay Mail that her remarks had been misunderstood, and that what she meant was that the poor quality of raw materials used by restaurants for Menu Rahmah “could lead to the meal’s quality being compromised”.
“We are saying to the government, if you are desperate, do not forsake nutrition. How do you provide good quality food at a low price?” she was quoted as saying. - FMT
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