KUALA LUMPUR: Amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008, which will focus on the enforcement and empowerment of the disabled group’s rights, are expected to be finalised by June, says Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
The amendments, said Nancy, are necessary because many feel that the current law is weak or toothless.
For example, she said, in shopping complexes, there is designated parking for those with disabilities but there is no enforcement to ensure that these are not being used by others.
“The ministry is discussing that there should be an enforcement aspect in the amendments. We need a stronger law,” she told reporters after flagging off the 27th Annual Charity Walk-Jog-Wheel-A-Thon at Dataran Merdeka yesterday.
Also present was OKU Sentral president Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi.
In her speech, Bernama quoted Nancy as saying that the ministry hoped to increase registration of people with disabilities for better planning of impactful programmes and initiatives.
She said that in December, there were 633,653 people with disabilities registered nationwide.
Nancy also called on all participants at the event to support her ministry in raising awareness, and encouraged those with disabilities to register.
According to the Spastic Children’s Association of Selangor and Federal Territory, 1,580 participants, including 200 disabled people, took part in the event, which was held for the first time after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.