OKU Sentral Hopes Budget 2027 Addresses Accessibility, Improvements To PWD Act

PETALING JAYA, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- OKU Sentral hopes Budget 2027 will prioritise accessibility for persons with disabilities (PWDs), particularly in rural areas, as well as improvements to the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 (Act 685).

OKU Sentral president Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi said the non-governmental organisation also hoped the government would consider strengthening the Senior Citizens Act in preparation for Malaysia becoming an ageing nation by 2030.

“Yesterday, we engaged with the Budget Division at the Ministry of Finance (MOF) along with the Prime Minister. Among the matters we recommended was accessibility not just in urban areas, but also in rural areas, as that is very important.

“Secondly, the PWD Act must be swiftly improved and furthermore, we must strengthen the Senior Citizens Act so that we are prepared to ensure our senior citizens are also taken care of,” she told reporters after a media tour with OKU Sentral at the Damansara Idaman LRT Station here today.

Meanwhile, she welcomed the PWD-friendly facilities provided along the Shah Alam LRT Line, including dedicated spaces for wheelchair users, adjustable seatbelts and tactile paving for visually impaired passengers.

Ras Adiba also welcomed Prasarana’s move to install rear passenger lifts on Rapid On-Demand vans to assist wheelchair users who are unable to transfer from their wheelchairs to standard seats.

“For individuals with tetraplegia or cerebral palsy, it is sometimes quite difficult to lift or transfer them. Alhamdulillah, we have been informed that Prasarana will be providing vans equipped with a rear-loading passenger lift in the coming months,” she said.

Meanwhile, Shah Alam Line Quality Assurance Division head Noor Aqilah Ahmad Tajedi said Prasarana received direct feedback from the PWD community on its facilities to facilitate continuous improvement.

“We highly encourage PWD passengers to utilise our facilities as we have provided numerous amenities for the community,” she said.

Noor Aqilah said PWD users could also obtain the latest Rapid Mesra Pass, which could be applied for online or at station concession counters to enjoy free travel. She also encouraged existing cardholders whose passes had not yet expired to exchange them for the new card.

The 37.8-kilometre Shah Alam Line connects Johan Setia in Klang with Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya and was opened to the public on June 29.

-- BERNAMA