Selangor Suggests Several Names for Senator from the Disabled Community

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SHAH ALAM, 10 Oct: The Selangor Government will propose the names of several professional individuals from the Disabled (PWD) community who are eligible to be appointed as Senators.

The Executive Councillor in charge of Women’s Affairs, Rodziah Ismail said it is in line with the requirements of the Ministry of Women, family and Community Development to suggest several name to be the voice of the PWD community in the Senate.

“I hope that the ministry will take into account the views of the people of Selangor. Even though only 10 percent of the population in this country are PWDs, a large number of them are from Selangor,” she said in a press conference today.

On Tuesday, the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim said, the government has agreed to appoint a Senator from the disabled community.

Rodziah said, the appointment of a PWD Senator has been anticipated since 2009 and it is received as a legislative effort towards the group.

She said it helps to empower PWD with a Senator from the community to highlight sensitivities and issues more effectively.

She added that a PWD Senator should be given equal facilities so as to play the role given more effectively in addition to giving sufficient staff provisions and suitable vehicles.

“The issue of defending PWD all this while has only been within the framework of giving an allowance or similar remuneration. This is certainly not enough to guarantee their future.

“Although there are laws and acts that safeguard the interests of PWD, the implementation and enforcement is far from satisfactory,” she said.

The late Senator Datuk Dr Ismail Md Salleh, an economist with a Doctorate on Philosophy (PhD) who was visually impaired was the first Senator of the Dewan Negara elected from the disabled community.

He was appointed on 18 December 2007 during the administration of Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and died on 27 August 2009.


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