KUCHING: Registering children or individuals with disabilities is vital to ensure early intervention and access to various essential services and support.
In stressing this, Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said that registration enables access to benefits across key areas such as education, training, employment, entrepreneurship, housing, healthcare, and personal development.
“Previously, many parents were reluctant to register their children, but today they are more open and accepting of the reality that these special children are blessings from God, deserving of early intervention and opportunities.
“Thus, in terms of stigma, we are seeing improvement,” she said.
She said this during the Juh Daftar OKU Sarawak 2025 programme organised by the Sarawak Social Welfare Department at Mydin Vista Tunku, Petra Jaya, today (June 22).
Fatimah added that as of May 31, a total of 56,184 individuals had been registered as Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in Sarawak through the Persons with Disabilities Information System (SMOKU).
“The highest category was learning disabilities, accounting for 22,511 individuals (39.6 per cent), followed by physical disabilities (16,195 or 28.8 per cent) and mental disabilities (5,943 or 10.5 per cent).
“Other categories include visual impairment (5,918), hearing impairment (3,167), multiple disabilities (2,123), and speech impairment (327),” she said.
Fatimah also stressed that accurate statistics are essential as a foundation for formulating policies and implementing appropriate programmes tailored to the needs of the PWD community.
“We also place great importance on early diagnosis, especially for children with learning difficulties.
“Early intervention centres such as the One Stop Early Intervention Centre (OSEIC) can make a significant difference in their abilities and independence.
“When a child is allowed to be assessed, diagnosed, and undergo intervention, they have the potential to enter schooling, either in the mainstream or special education streams. This is one of the ways we empower our special children.
“We want these children to live independently and with dignity, to enjoy a good quality of life just like any other child. And this is our shared responsibility,” she said.
Earlier, a total of 123 individuals have received PWD cards, including both new and replacement cards, through the Juh Daftar OKU Sarawak 2025 programme, which facilitates easier access to essential services for the PWD community.
Themed Disability: To Know is To Love, the programme has also recorded over 600 registered visitors at the PWD service counters throughout its implementation.
On this, Fatimah said it is a very encouraging achievement and proves that more parents and guardians are becoming aware of the importance of registering their special needs children.
“The programme also serves as a one-stop centre for various matters related to the PWD community such as registration, status checks, benefit briefings, and support services.
“They are truly dedicated to providing services and sharing valuable information with parents and their special children.
“This initiative is crucial in helping Sarawak achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of having PWDs account for 12 per cent of the population by 2030,” she said.