Showing their spirit of patriotism are the disabled and their teachers from Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajah Maryam who were among the first at Stadium Hassanal Bolkiah for the 2009 National Day celebrations. Picture: BT file
Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei is currently in the process of formulating legislation for persons with disabilities to protect them from abuse and make sure they are well-taken care of, the Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports told The Brunei Times
yesterday.
yesterday."Persons with disabilities are among vulnerable groups, such as women and children and the elderly. They are vulnerable because they are more subject to abuse if they are not well cared for," Datin Hjh Adina Othman said, although no further information regarding the legislation could be disclosed as yet.
In response to yesterday's International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Datin Hjh Adina explained that individuals with disabilities in Brunei were treated equally as normal folk in terms of access to basic necessities.
"They (persons with disabilities) have the same rights as normal individuals, such as with education, healthcare and welfare. For some of the disabled, depending on their severity, we even help them by training them to prepare for employment," she said.
Based on a report in The Brunei Times (December 1, 2010), the deputy minister reiterated what Pusat Bahagia Head Rosmadee Hj Md Daud said with regards to urging the public and private sector to include special needs individuals in their hiring process.
"There are a lot of programmes carried out at Pusat Bahagia, such as industrial training, and we want everyone to have the right to be trained and be employed," Datin Hjh Adina said.
She added, "You can try to take them in without having to pay them first because the government does provide allowances for them. When you are convinced they are good, then you can hire them full time."
Regarding healthcare and education, Datin Hjh Adina said the government has been taking care of individuals with disabilities at an early age.
"In terms of healthcare, we do look after children with disabilities at the Child Development Centre. Also, our education policy is very good, because they promote and carry out inclusive education.
"By taking these disabled children into normal schools, it allows the normal children to be aware of them and that has led to their being able to deal with them and include them," she said.
"Our Vision 2035 talks about providing quality in life for all people. This means it is for everyone and not just normal individuals, because everyone has a right to a decent living," she said.
The deputy minister also referred to the Old Age Pension and Disability Act 1964, where the government provides welfare benefits to the disabled above 15 years of age, based on certain criteria such as obtaining doctors' authentication.
Compared to past years, Datin Hjh Adina was pleased to note that public awareness had increased about persons with disabilities. "I am very happy to see that in Brunei, there has been a lot of public awareness which has improved from before. People are more comfortable with disabled people around them, compared to before."
Regarding the role of families, she said, "We appreciate in Brunei that family members are still very responsible in providing care and support to the disabled.
"I am also very thankful to NGOs who help the disabled, because without them, we cannot provide adequate quality of life for them.
They also complement and supplement the efforts of the government, and therefore further increase the quality of life for persons with disabilities."
This year's theme in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is "Keeping the promise: mainstreaming disability in the Millennium Development Goals".
In a message on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, United Nations Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon urged governments to "do more" to support people with disabilities, by implementing the UN Convention on the Rights with Persons with Disabilities and integrating their needs into national Millennium Development Goals agenda.
"On this International Day, let us recognise that the battles against poverty, disease and discrimination will not be won without targeted laws, policies and programmes that empower this group.
"Let us pledge to keep the promise of the goals alive in the community of persons with disabilities," he said.
Ban added, "Let us include them not only as beneficiaries, but as valued agents of change in our five-year push to reach the goals by the internationally agreed deadline of 2015."
According to the United Nations website, it said the International Year for Disabled Persons aims to promote a better understanding of disability issues with a focus on the rights of persons with disabilities, and gains to be derived in every aspect of the political, social, economic and cultural life of their communities. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times
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