Law/Government

The Welfare Department will consider parents’ requests to create autism sub-categories in the Disabled People’s (OKU) card to enable them to access more specific services. Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Hannah Yeoh said it was one of the ministry’s efforts to safeguard the welfare of autistic children and to create awareness about autism among the people.

A coalition of NGOs representing disabled people today criticised Putrajaya’s plan to replace feeder buses with Grab cars, calling the idea unacceptable and simplistic.

The Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport (BEAT) group urged the government to consider the poor and marginalised groups who may depend solely on public transport to get around.

The recent arrest of 22-year-old autistic man Ahmad Ziqri Morshidi, who allegedly molested a woman at a restaurant in Subang Jaya, has sparked intense debate. A majority of the public were on his side and said that Ahmad should not have been detained, what more handcuffed in remand clothing and barefoot. But some people felt sorry for the woman whose chest he allegedly touched, and felt there was more to be done to educate society on autism.

As a special needs teacher who works with adults with special needs including autism, the recent case of Ahmad Ziqri Morshidi, the 22-year-old man with autism who was arrested for allegedly molesting a woman, highlighted to me how ignorance about autism drives people’s reaction to it.

A tahfiz school founder, a driver, and a van company were ordered by the Sessions Court here on Sunday (Sept 23) to pay RM4.3mil in compensation to an accident victim. Former tahfiz student Muhammad Faiz Hafizuddin Mohd Izahir (pic), 18, who was left permanently disabled following a road accident last year, had sued the school management for negligence.

The 22-year-old man with autism, who was arrested for allegedly molesting a woman, is oblivious that he is the subject of discussions about dealing with persons with disabilities, his mother said. While touched by the overwhelming support from the public, Hasnah Abdul Rahman said her son was not aware that he had sparked a debate about whether the authorities were adequately trained to handle cases involving people like him.

Several organisations have urged the government to review and adopt different policies when handling persons with disabilities after the arrest and overnight detention of a young man with autism who had allegedly outraged the modesty of a woman. National Autism Society of Malaysia (Nasom) chairman Feilina Muhammad Feisol (pic) said there needs to be a different procedure when authorities deal with persons with autism.

Malaysia can only truly be united when inclusiveness is a way of life. This means celebrating the many different languages unique to every community – including the deaf.

The Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 needs more bite. Although the Act has equal access provisions for the disabled, it lacks punitive action for non-compliance. This caused slow progress in the implementation of policies and measures to improve services and fa­­cilities although 10 years had pass­ed since its enactment, said National Education Advisory Coun­cil member Prof Dr Ruzita Mohd Amin.

The lack of punitive action for companies not putting up facilities for the disabled has slowed down the progress in the improvement of services and facilities for them, say disabled groups.