Call For Budget 2025 To Prioritise Facilities, Amenities For OKU, Elderly And Support For Workingwomen

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- It is hoped that the 2025 Budget will continue to prioritise facilities and public amenities for persons with disabilities (OKU), and the elderly, as well as support for working women, to ensure their well-being and comfort.

Malaysian Disabled Women's Association president, K. Bathmavathi, highlighted that the disabled and the elderly face a lack of safety, and accessibility of facilities, particularly across services like buses, trains, airports, and ferries, which hinders dependence on public transportation as their primary means of travel.

“Awareness regarding the provision of OKU-friendly facilities is still low and has yet to reach the necessary standards, especially concerning the critical issue of first- and last-mile connectivity, which is far from being adequate.

“Transport service providers need to be more attentive to the needs of OKU, such as tactile paving, audio facilities, and Braille signage for the visually impaired, as well as special counters for those with physical disabilities who use wheelchairs, along with ramps on main pathways and connectors for boarding trains and buses,” she told Bernama.

Bathmavathi also suggested that the government impose heavy fines for the misuse of designated parking spaces for the disabled to deter irresponsible parties from taking advantage of these facilities.

She stated that the current fine, as low as RM50, is not proportionate to the offence and fails to reflect the severity of infringing the rights of OKU, who already face numerous challenges due to their disabilities.

Bathmavathi also expressed hope that the government would improve the policy of allocating one percent of public service positions to persons with disabilities, ensuring the target is met.

“We have many university graduates among this group with great potential to elevate public service, and their expertise is on par with that of non-disabled graduates, sometimes even providing strong competition.

"Therefore, it is hoped that the government would assist in placing them in the public sector by providing the necessary support and facilities to ensure their disabilities do not hinder job performance, ultimately improving overall efficiency and competence,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Malaysia (Wawasanita) president, Dr. Norlaili Alias, hopes that Budget 2025 will include various forms of assistance to alleviate the burden on working women.

She emphasised that access to quality childcare centres, improving childcare facilities at workplaces, and offering elderly care services, could help ease the burden on working women.

She expressed hope that female entrepreneurs would be granted flexibility in managing their work schedules to better balance professional and family responsibilities.

“Every sector, including government, industry, and academia, which encompasses the full socio-economic landscape of women, should be given opportunities to collaborate,” she added.

-- BERNAMA