(From left) Roslinda, Anfaal and Kamarul Hisham holding up batik artworks painted by OKU featured in a charity sale at the event in Shah Alam.
THE Selangor Disability Policy is being fine-tuned and is expected to be tabled at State Executive Council level as early as January.
State women empowerment and welfare committee chairman Anfaal Saari said the policy covered five pillars including accessibility, universal design, employment opportunities and the rights of persons with disability (OKU).
“It will serve as a guideline for all state agencies and departments on OKU-related matters in Selangor.
“The idea is for the policy to be adopted by all local councils in the state to ensure more inclusive infrastructure and development, recognising their needs and rights,” she said.
Anfaal cited as an example, how Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) had implemented universal design guidelines since 2017 to promote inclusivity for all ages and physical abilities.
She said this after launching the state-level International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebration at Universiti Teknologi Mara’s (UiTM) Selayang campus in Batu Caves.
At the same event, Yayasan Insan Istimewa Selangor (Yanis) chief executive officer Kamarul Hisham Yeop Hashim said the foundation hoped to receive RM1mil from the state government for its welfare aid initiative next year to benefit more children with disabilities and reduce their families’ financial burden.
Activities during the celebration included a singing contest won by Mohammad Amir Khusairi, 20. — Photos: LEONG WAI YEE/The Star
The initiative recently rebranded from Bantuan Anak Istimewa Selangor (Anis) to Bantuan Rahmah Insan Istimewa Selangor (BRIS), currently operates on a RM500,000 allocation.
Yanis serves as the primary implementation agency for holistic development for OKU in Selangor.
“Successful applicants receive between RM1,000 and RM5,000 per child to buy specialised equipment such as hearing aids or wheelchairs, or to fund therapy and rehabilitation expenses,” Kamarul Hisham added.
Anfaal said an increased allocation would allow Yanis to expand its screening and early intervention programmes across the state.
The half-day celebration featured activities such as a fun walk with OKU participants, seminar for parents on early intervention programmes, singing competition and presentation of BRIS aid to 10 recipients.
The highlight of the celebration was Malaysia Book of Records recognising a batik-colouring event with the largest number of OKU participants, at 515 individuals.
The batik event, jointly organised by Yanis, UiTM and Aeon Co (M) Bhd, was held at a mall in Shah Alam.
UiTM Education Faculty senior lecturer and event coordinator Sumardianshah Silah said, “A group of students from the Education Faculty’s Art and Design Education Programme and Casuarina College, both from the UiTM Puncak Alam campus, took two days to draw the batik designs using the canting method.
“The colouring session involved UiTM’s disabled students and the OKU community at large.
“It took our group four more days to fix the colours, wash the fabrics and frame the artworks.”
Also present at the celebration were UiTM OKU Services Unit director Assoc Prof Dr Roslinda Alias and Aeon Mall operations and region support (mall business) assistant general manager Kamarul Zaman Jaafar.
A charity sale of the batik artworks was also launched.
Kamarul Hisham said UiTM would handle the charity sale, with proceeds to be split equally between the university and Yanis.
“We are aiming to raise RM150,000, with a base price of RM1,500 for each of the 100 artworks,” he said.
Those interested in supporting the charity sale can visit www.anisselangor.com or Yanis’ social media platforms.
