The disabled community was expecting a lot more from the 2005 budget which the prime minister announced yesterday but were let down on several scores, two disabled needs activists said.

Anthony Thanasayan and Francis Siva contacted malaysiakini after the 3.8 percent deficit budget was unveiled to express their dismay with the government for not understanding them and their special needs.

"The 2005 budget has not touched the needs of the disabled community where it really hurts and although it seems to be a charitable budget, we prefer to have a justice-based budget," said Anthony who is also a columnist for The S tar newspaper.

Thanasayan, who is wheelchair bound, said while disabled people welcomed charity, their rights need to be promoted too and mere sympathy for their cause was insufficient.

"While we need charity since we're in such a disempowered state, it's disappointing that the budget was not made more specific to address our concerns," he said .

Both Thanasayan and Siva highlighted the fact that there weren't any allocations made for the physically disabled to obtain items like electric wheelchairs which were very costly.

"These wheelchairs which cost anything between RM15,000 to RM20,000 but are a necessity for those who cannot push themselves in wheelchairs ... it also gives us a useful tool to help us contribute more to society,' said Thanasayan

He cited world famous physicist Stephen Hawking as a classic example of a disabled person who has contributed enormously to society with the aid of tools specifically made for the disabled.

"There are a lot of disabled people who can contribute more positively that able bodied people - only if they're given the tools to do so," he said.

'Why food allocation?'

Siva said he had expected a lot more from the country's new premier, who is also finance minister, as last year's budget from former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamed had been very beneficial to the disabled.

"The physically-challenged community has been totally left out in this budget and I sincerely hope the government will review it to include us," he said.

Siva, who is president of the Independent Living and Training Centre in Rawang, a society which helps the disabled, also rapped the budget's increase in food allowances for rehabilitation centres for the disabled.

"What can more money for food really do for us when there are more pressing needs like employment opportunities and disabled friendly public transportation, both which are clearly lacking," he said.

He said the government should be role models for employers in the country by hiring people from the disabled community to work in the government sector.

The 2005 budget today saw daily food expenditure allocation for rehabilitation and shelter institutions for children, the elderly and disabled increase from RM3.90 to RM8 per person.

Thanasayan also pointed out said efforts to improve the skills and education levels of disabled persons were hampered with education centres not being accessible to them.

"There should be money allocated for home tutors for the disabled as many of us cannot walk up staircases at tuition centres and we can't get there in the first place because the public transportation is not disabled friendly," he said.

In presenting the budget, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did not specify improvements to the public transport to ensure it was accessible for the disabled but instead said that more disabled-friendly facilities would be provided in general including barrier-free facilities, ICT incentives and assistive technologies.

Sin tax welcomed

On another note, the Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam, Selangor (Cassa) welcomed the 2005 budget as 'result orientated and truly holistic.'

Its president, Dr Jacob George, said that on the macro level, it reflected Abdullah's objective to jump start and spur the nation's public and private sector into coordinating their activities to boost Malaysia's economic competitiveness.

He said that as a consumer body, Cassa also lauded the government's move to improve the various delivery systems in the country, particularly the government's decision to review the Income Tax Act 1967, which he said was outdated.

On the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2007, George said it was long overdue and the intention of the government to enforce a freeze on basic need goods to protect the lower-income group was also welcomed.

The Cassa president said his organisation was also happy to note that despite strong lobbying by the tobacco industry, the government has stayed true to anti-smoking stance by increasing tax on cigarettes.