KOTA KINABALU: The 30,771 disabled people in Sabah who have registered with the State Welfare Department have received the high quality identity card which will help them in a number of ways.
Department director Etong Terang said the card would save the persons the embarrassment of trying to explain their disability because they state what their disability is.
“It also allows them to receive the benefits rendered to disabled people at private and public sectors,” he said after presenting the identity cards to the disabled at the UTC building near here yesterday.
Etong said that all disabled people who registered with the department have received the card.
According to the director, there are seven categories of disabled people in Sabah, namely those with learning disability (11,554), physical disability (10,043), hearing disability (3,945), sight disability (2,983), speaking disability (143), mental disability (859) and others (1,244).
Etong said that disabled can register at any district in Sabah and the 30,771 disabled people in Sabah range from children to elderly.
During the conference, he also explained that disabled could apply for incentive allowance if they were able to work or a monthly assistance of RM150 if they were bedridden or unable to support themselves.
He reminded that some disabled were successful in business.
He said that there is no plan to study increasing the RM150 monthly allowance.
To get the assistance, the disabled have to go through the normal application channels, he said.
“It is not automatic,” he added.
Etong also urged parents with disabled children to register them with the Welfare Department.