WHILE inflation has added to the cost of living, it has hit the disabled hardest, associations providing help to this group said.

They said as the community at large deals with the spike in cost, people are also less generous in giving to organisations providing aid to the disabled.

They hoped the Welfare Department will revise some of the cash benefits it dispenses to the disabled.

Society of Chinese Disabled Persons Malaysia secretary Sia Siew Chin said inflation puts more pressure on the disabled compared with ordinary people.

“Many times, we want our disabled friends to be independent, but when there is no support from people around us, it is difficult for us to be independent. Especially now, when everyone is struggling, no one can help the disabled,” Sia told The Malaysia Insight.

She said in the post-pandemic era, many factories and companies had closed down, leaving many without jobs and unable to provide any kind of help.

She noted the drop registered with the disabled who tried to earn a living selling items on the street post-Covid-19 pandemic.

“For example, prior to this, disabled people who sell things on the street could get 20 customers in a day, but now, they can only get around 10, and their income is barely RM10 a day, sometimes only a few ringgit. Their livelihoods are greatly affected,” she said.

She recalled an incident involving a disabled person with a master’s degree but could not secure a job only to end up selling lottery tickets on the street.

Sia, who is also the founder president of Malaysia Independent Living Association for Disabled, revealed that it distributed food and supplies to the disabled and found that they were having a difficult time.

“Recently, a factory donated dozens of boxes of instant noodles to us, but they were all given out within three days. This showed that our friends with disabilities don’t mind eating instant noodles every day in order to survive,” she said.

With the cost of living rising, the allowance of RM300 to RM500 provided by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has also become insufficient.

Sia said the disabled with jobs can apply for a RM450 allowance while those who are unable to secure a job can apply for RM300

She said if they are paralysed and need a caregiver, they can apply for a RM500 allowance.

“This amount was set before inflation shot up. This assistance should be adjusted according to the situation, otherwise the life of disabled people will be very difficult,” she said.

Sia suggested that an additional allowance of RM200 to RM300 be given to enable these people to meet their basic living needs.

Intellectually Disabled Association Malaysia chairman Sia Ling Ling pointed out that today’s prices are high, which is a huge burden for families with special needs children.

“Because they all tend to be single parents or middle-income families,” she said.

Another problem is with the new minimum wage of RM1,500, which the Welfare Department should take into account, she said.

Currently, it restricts the salary of disabled who apply for allowances to be no more than RM1,200.

“If you exceed that, you won’t be able to apply for anything, and I think the Welfare Department should adjust the limit,” she said.

“If a disabled person gets a salary of RM1,500 and is allowed to apply for an allowance of RM450, he will have RM1,950 a month, which I think can help him cope with life.

“Of course, if the government can adjust the allowance to RM500, a person with disability will have enough income. A RM2,000 income is enough for me.”

However, she believes that RM2,000 is definitely not enough for a family with disabled children.

“The price of everything is going up. If possible, I hope the government can give more assistance so that disabled people can be self-reliant and at the same time, can take care of their children and families,” she added.

For Lee Sheng Chow of the Malaysian Association of Blind Massage Therapists, increasing the allowances would help the disabled and their families to survive.

He said the average salary of a blind masseuse is about RM1,000, with an additional of RM450 as tips from customers, which is enough for basic living needs.

“However, for those with school-going children, it can be stressful to live on the salary and allowances alone,” he said. – October 1, 2022.