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NGO PERSPECTIVES for Full Participation and Equality

japanese

Malaysia

A REVIEW ON THE DECADE OF DISABLED PERSONS 1993 - 2002
A MALAYSIAN NGO PERSPECTIVE

Review Title: The impact of NGO efforts
in the promotion of full participation and equity during the decade.

Malaysian Council For Rehabilitation
(Puan Khatijah, Secretary General, MCR)

I. A PREAMBLE ON THE DISABILITIES A MOVEMENT

Disabilities, in Malaysia, had been traditionally viewed from the charity perspective by philanthropists and the empathetic public. Malaysia is not a social-state. However, the social welfare department had been established to assist the hard-core poor at state levels with financial assistance and institutionalized care, based on merits.

Disabilities issues, therefore, had been advocated and addressed by voluntary welfare organization: classified as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), which are religious-based or community based. But these NGOs work in isolation (most often in competition to solicit financial support): instead of consolidating their efforts, in synergy, to change society's mind-set about disabilities for the paradigm shift towards the era of empowering the disabled to live independent meaningful and satisfying lives as respected human beings within the society.

In the 1980s, the welfare department introduced the CBR concept as program for disabled children in the rural areas. The Ministry of Health expanded its outreach programs. Some NGOs, with expatriate technical and professional assistance, independently piloted CBR programs with the focus on wholesome rehabilitation.

II. THE IMPETUS OF THE DECADE

Initially the decade did not gather the spontaneous support from NGOs due to lack of concerted 'togetherness', in the promotion for full participation and equity of disabled persons, by NGOs which were focused on their own individual diverse objectives.

CAMPAIGN 99 provided the impetus to create the snowballing public awareness on the need to address disabilities and disabilities issues, when Malaysia hosted the regional conference in support of the decade to achieve the agenda targets.

The Malaysian Council for Rehabilitation (MCR), being a member of Rehabilitation International (RI) and the Regional Network of NGOs (RNN) was entrusted by the Social Welfare Department, Malaysia, with the responsibility to organize the event.

From 1997 MCR conducted a series of 'road-shows' nationally to interest disabilities-related NGOs and service-providers for participation in Campaign 99.

This international conference at Kuala Lumpur created new hope and visions for the disabled persons, parents and NGOs who become more proactive in finding avenues to promote and advocate the addressing of disabilities issues directly and indirectly.

MCR henceforth assumed the catalytic role to synergise the efforts of disabilities concerned groups: working in collaboration with Governmental bodies through facilitated dialogues for win-win solutions in addressing disabilities needs.

Subsequently MCR organized a national rehabilitation conference, held in Kuala Lumpur, to take stock of the achievements of the target objects - the conference theme being: "Towards the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities". Shortcomings were discussed and recommendations were made on:

  • Rehabilitation - Early Intervention Programs

  • Education

  • Human Resource Development

  • Services for Persons with Learning Disabilities

  • Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR)

  • Access to Public Facilities

  • Finance (Governmental Incentives)

  • Public Awareness

  • General (issues)

The year 2002 is focused on eliciting feedback to evaluate shortfalls and justification in support for the extension of the decade, through a series of zonal workshops culminating in the draft of a memorandum for action in the next decade.

III. TOWARDS THE AGENDA TARGETS ACHIEVEMENTS

Development in Malaysia in During The Asia-Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002)

During the Asia-Pacific Decade, many activities and events were organised in Malaysia at NGO level to promote the agenda targets for the benefit of the disabled. These activities and events were carried out by MCR, either jointly with its affiliate members, or in collaboration with other NGO(s). The government provided moral support and financial assistance for many of these activities.

The activities and events were in line with the agenda for action which included the following :

1. NATIONAL COORDINATION

Intiatives were taken to bring about the national coordination in various aspects of disabilities issues, related directly or indirectly with the disabled persons in Malaysia. The most notable were :

1.1 Strengthening of the Network of Service-providing Organisations for and of the Disabled Persons

MCR took the initiative to strengthen the network of organisations that provide services catering to the needs of the disabled in the country. It held a brain-storming session from April 25 - 26, 1998 at the Selesa Hill Homes in Pahang. All the 20 affiliate members were involved in reviewing the role of MCR in coordinating programmes for the disabled at the national and state levels. This led to the formulation of a five year plan which adopted the following strategies :

  1. Revision of MCR's constitution in order to strengthen its membership and to reach out to the disabled at the grassroots level in each of the states;

  2. Establishment of special sub-committees to deal more effectively with the diverse issues related to holistic rehabilitation for the disabled.

1.2 NATIONAL COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION

In 1996, MCR brought together a number of disabilities-concerned groups to discuss the idea of establishing a national coordinating body for CBR in the country. This became known as the National CBR Coordinating Committee, recognised by the Social Welfare Department.

Its two notable achievements included :

  1. Development of CBR programmes for the disabled across the nation through networking, sharing of information, conventions and seminars and sports.

  2. Publication of a national CBR curriculum for the disabled.

1.3 SPORTS FOR THE DISABLED

The networking efforts of MCR led to the establishment of two separate national sports bodies for the disabled. The first was the Malaysian Paralympic Council which was established in 1989. The disabled champions were rewarded by the government with gold, silver and bronze awards amounting to thousands of Ringgit in recognition of their prowness in sports.

The other sports body was the Special Olympics for the Intelectually Disabled. This was set up in the late 1990's.

1.4 NATIONAL ABILYMPICS :

MCR has been putting much effort to raise the standard of the Abilymics in Malayia. Towards this end, it took part in the 1995 Abilympics in Perth, Australia.

At the Osaka Forum in Japan this year (2002), MCR has been accepted as a member of the International Abilympic Council. Meanwhile, MCR is planning to hold the national Abilympics in 2003, thereby preparing disabled persons for the November 2003 Abilympics in India.

1.5 CULTURE AND ARTS :

In 2001, MCR decided to set up the Very Special Arts committee in order to promote arts and culture among the disabled. This committee took over the functions of the organisations, VSA Malaysia, which had not been able to achieve effective progress since its formation in the early 1990's.

Through MCR's VSA committee, the International Arts Festival was successfully organised and launched this year (2002). Now MCR is in the process of setting up a National Disabled Choir.

2. INFORMATION :

A number of iniatives has also been undertaken with regards to information on employment and services for the disabled. These include various publications such as the MCR Newsletter, NCSW Bulletin (magazine of the National Council for Social Welfare) NCBM Outreach (magazine of the National Council for the Blind, Malaysia) and the 'Hope of the Blind' by the Society of the Blind in Malaysia.

3. PUBLIC AWARENESS

MCR has organised a number of activities to bring about public awareness on disabolities and the disabled persons; and the programmes and activities available to improve the quality of life for the disabled. These include exhibitions, poster competitions and handicraft sales.

The Malaysian Association for the Blind, an affiliate of MCR has gone further by opening a shop in a supermarket complex to promote handicraft and massage by the blind. The shop is to be lauched in December, 2002.

4. ACCESSIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION :

Since the late 1980's and during the 1990's, the NGO(s) have been working in collaboration with the government in drawing up some documents with regards to accessibility for the disabled to a barrier-free environment. This includes :

M.S 118 3, part 8 (1990) - Specifications for fire precautions in the design and construction of buildings.

M.S 1184/1991 - Code of practice on access for the disabled outside buildings.

At first the government agency coordinating the work was the Standards and Industrial Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM). Now the responsibility has been taken over by the Construction and Industrial Development Board (CIDB).

MCR has set up a Sub-committe, consisting of accesbility-interest-groups of disabled persons, and headed by the disabled, to advocate a disabled-friendly environment, in practice, to legislative bodies.

Recently, on November 6, 2002, when the minister of works hosted a Deepavali dinner at the MAB, the idea of making Brickfields a model barrier-free area for the disabled was raised. The government accepted the idea enthuasiastically. It has instructed MAB to work with other NGO(s) to draw up a proposal.

5. EDUCATION :

MCR had been working hard with the Malaysian Federation of the Deaf, an affiliate member, to introduce information and technology to the deaf. With sponsorship from MIMOS, an ICT portal has been established: whereby many of the deaf have now been introduced to ICT. This has been a great help to them in their education.

In 1995, the efforts of the organisation serving the blind also saw a breakthorugh in education. After about 30 years of 'non-reception', the government has at last yielded to the requests from the NGO(s) serving the blind to open the doors of teacher training to the blind. Consequently, for the first time at least 30 blind persons were accepted into a number of teacher-training institutes.

Meantime MCR continues to facilitate dialogue sessions with the special education unit of the Ministry of Education for the improvement of education opportunities to children with learning disabilities.

6. TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT :

In 2002, the Orthopaedically Disabled (with support from MCR) initiated the drawing up a memorandum on employment for the disabled to the Ministry of Human Resources. The minister kindly agreed to accept the memorandum. This, subsequently, led to the drawing up of the Employment Code of Practice for the Disabled by the Ministry of Human Resources.

Meanwhile, efforts are being made to upgrade massage skills training for the blind and review the facilities for sheltered industries for the disabled. In 2001, the organisations serving the blind hosted the sixth WBU Asia-Pacific seminar on massage and the MAB is obtaining official recognition form the government for its massage course.

To conclude the decade in 2002, MCR organised a series of workshops on employment for the disabled in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resouces and Social Welfare Department. Emphasis was given to the development of sheltered industrial 'villages' for the disabled in general, and for the intellectually disabled in particular.

7. REHABILITATION SERVICES :

As mentioned, much effort has been directed towards improving rehabilitation services for the disabled through the development and promotion of CBR programmes throughout the country, in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department and other NGOs. In May 1994, a significant development took place when the Sarawak Social Welfare Council hosted a CBR seminar in Kuching. Some of the representatives at the seminar mooted the idea of a national CBR coordinating body and referred idea to MCR which was ultimately responsible for establishing the NCBRCC (National CBR Coordinating Committee) under its umbrella, in 1999.

The NCBRCC, through its education sub-committe, developed a manual containing the guidelines to the curriculum for training of children to upgrade the skills proficiency of CBR workers attached to CBR centres. This set of guidelines were presented to the Social Welfare Department which has approved for implementation. Currently the NCBRCC is conducting a series of state-level hands-on training for the CBR workers and parents in the use of the manual.

The NCBRCC, in collaboration with an NGO and a CBR centre, supported by the Social Welfare Department, piloted a vocational rehabilitation training project to empower the young disabled persons, who have no formal school education, for independent living.

8. ASSISTIVE DEVICES :

The Malaysian Federation of the Deaf, the Society of the Orthopaedically Disabled and the Malaysian Association for the Blind have been very active in developing programmes to make assistive devices available to the disabled.

The MAB for example, has obtained a grant of two million RM from the government to provide adaptive computer equipment to the blind. This grant was announced in the 2001 budget presentation of the government.

Simple assistive devices and adaptations to improve functional performance, or prevent or reduce deformities are made by occupational therapists at hospitals or private enterprises upon referrals.

9. SELF-HELP ORGANISATIONS :

At the workshop on the Asia-Pacific decade held in August 2002, it was a notable observation that much has been done by the NGO(s) and the government to promote and bring about the development of the self-help groups, as individual initiatives among the disabled in Malaysia. Various types of self-help initiatives among the disabled have been identified:

  1. Individual Initiatives :
    These include business enterprises in such trades in canework or massage. For example, some blind groups set up their own cane-based products cottage industries in Temerloh, Pahang during the 1980's, with support form the government while many blind groups set up massage enterprises in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur during the same period.

  2. Single Disability Self-Help Organisations :
    Such groups include the Society of the Blind in Malaysia, Society of the Orthopaedically Disabled and the Malaysia Federation of the Deaf. In the 1980's and especially in the 1990's, these gorups have become increasingly and actively involved in other NGO(s) as well as government agencies in order to give a voice to their needs, their rights; and to give suggestions on how to improve their quality of life in society.

  3. Cross-disability Self-Help Organisations :
    Such an organisation actively advocating for the disabled is the Malaysian Confederation of the Disabled.

  4. Mixed Groups of Disabled and Non-Disabled Persons :
    The Malaysian Council for Rehabilitation is an example of this type of organisation. In 1999, MCR's constitution was revised and it makes provision for the disabled to be involved in its work through elections. Out of the 15 elected members to the council, at least one of the vice presidents should be disabled and at least three other council members should be disabled. As a result, this has paved the way for the disabled to be more actively involved in the work of MCR.

  5. Parent Support Groups :
    Several of such groups have been formed in order to support the work for intelectually disabled persons. The most notable of such groups is Dignity And Services. The work of this group ultimately led to the establishment of United Voice, the first group of intelectually disabled persons in Malaysia. This group is now being supported in their efforts to establish their own clubhouse in Kuala Lumpur.

  6. Group Homes And Independent Living Centres :
    Bethany Home in Telok Intan, Perak has taken the initiative to set up a number of group homes for the intelectually disabled in Perak. Through these group homes, the intelectually disabled learn to lead independent lives; and to run second-hand shops, or to work in restaurants. Meanwhile, some of the orthopaedically disabled have established their own independent living centre in Klang, Selangor.

  7. Women With Disabilities :
    Meanwhile, efforts have been made by existing self-help groups to set up sub-committees on disabled women's affairs. Disabled women are also encouraged to play an active role in the central committee that formulates policies for the organisation. A good example is the Society of the Blind in Malaysia.

10. PREVENTION OF CAUSES OF DISABILITY :

Organisations such as MAB are actively involved in preventive work. Promotional programmes include Operation Cataract Campaigns, Eye Donation Campaign and the Annual Wolrd Sight Days.

The NCBRCC works closly with the health professionals and the CBR centres to educate parents and the community on the wellness instead of focusing on only cures for diseases.

11. LEGISLATION :

The NGO(s) are working closely with the government to formulate the Disabled Persons's Act. It is hoped that this act may be adopted by the year 2003.

12. INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION :

MCR has been actively involved in this aspect of work as well. As a member of RNN, MCR helped to organise Campaign '99 as part of the programme to promote the Asia-Pacific Decade of the Disabled.

MCR has also registered as a member of VSA International since 2001. It has been resonsible for organising the International Culture and Arts Festival for People With Disabilites in Kuala Lumpur this year. Recently, at the Osaka Forum in October 2002, MCR has become a member of the International Abilympics Council.

In this connection, MCR is now actively promoting the National Abilympics in Malaysia and will be preparing the disabled to take part in the International Abilympics.

IV. CARRYING OVER TO THE NEXT DECADE

It can be seen that MCR and the NGO(s) in Malaysia have taken the initiative in seeking measures to address disabilities in collaboration with the Government Bodies. Together they have played an active role in helping to promote the Asia-Pacific Decade of the Disabled in this country.

The disabilities issues have been identified. But the actions plan, related to the recommendations made, is yet to be fully implemented to achieve the targets for the decade. The extension of the decade should see the concrete outcome to the recommendations made at the close of the decade 1993 - 2002.

MCR is confident, with its growing vision through the years of its maturation, that by the end of the next decade the disabled persons will be given the participation and equality due - if NGOs are committed to this common objective whilst retaining their organization's primary mission.

MCR, with its no-personal-agenda objective and the collaborative support from the strong liaison with the different Ministries, will be able to continue to be a catalyst in the synergy of NGO networks for the betterment of the status and quality of life of the disabled persons.

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