KUALA LUMPUR, 11 Nov 2009: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has no statistics on the mentally disabled according to various states, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Minister Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said this was because the mental category was only approved by the government on 27 May.
“Together with the Health Ministry, we had set up the Bukit Tunku Day Care Centre to run rehabilitation, therapeutic and prevention programmes to fit [the mentally disabled] back into society,” she said.
Chew was replying to a question by Datuk Dr Tekhee@Tiki Lafe (BN-MasGading) on the number of mentally disabled, and efforts
by the government and non-governmental organisations (NGO) to make them self reliant.
Chew said activities held at the centre included light exercises, painting, hydroponics crop cultivation and handicraft classes.
“Two NGOs, the Malaysian Mental Health Association in Selangor and the Spirit Uplifting Association in Perak, are helping us. They receive annual grants from the Welfare Services Department.”
Chew said the ministry would brief co-ordinators for the disabled on the registration of new categories, namely vision, hearing, physical, learning, speaking and mental.
Replying to a supplementary question by Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) on the recruitment of the disabled in the public sector, she said it did not reach 1%.
“We will continue to review acts under the ministry when there is a need for changes,” she said. — Bernama
megabigBLUR says
I think NGOs are really doing the heavy lifting in terms of helping mentally disabled people in Malaysia. Check out this list for instance — so many in Penang:
http://www.asiacommunityservice.org/other_link.htm