Amid outcry from disabled, Rina says JKMPay deters aid abuse
Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Rina Harun has defended the Social Welfare Department's cashless assistance programme (JKMPay).
This was amid protests from the disabled community that the new system - which is meant for all welfare recipients - was burdensome to the disabled.
Asked about the objections, Rina said her...
Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Rina Harun has defended the Social Welfare Department's cashless assistance programme (JKMPay).
This was amid protests from the disabled community that the new system - which is meant for all welfare recipients - was burdensome to the disabled.
Asked about the objections, Rina (above) said her ministry cared deeply for the disabled, and that JKMPay was meant to help them manage their expenses and address complaints of aid being abused.
"We had complaints that some aid was abused, for example, to buy cigarettes.
"Some aid is also used by family members to buy things that are not needed by the disabled.
"(With JKMPay) at least they can buy necessities such as food, medicine, diapers... except for alcohol and cigarettes, we don't allow that," she said at a press conference in Kelana Jaya today.
A video of the press conference was uploaded on Facebook.
Several disabled rights groups submitted a memorandum to Rina's ministry on Tuesday to protest JKMPay.
Under the cashless programme, cash aid for welfare recipients are split into two types of payments: half into a Bank Islam ATM card and the other in a card called JKMPay.
The amount in JKMPay can only be used in selected stores registered with Bank Islam.
Critics said that among others, the system burdened people with disabilities as it meant they could only shop at selected stores while having less financial fluidity.
Rina stressed that JKMPay is a pilot programme and that only new aid recipients since February last year are involved.
She added that the pilot programme is also being carried out only in select districts, and not the whole country.
However, she assured that JKMPay undergoes regular review to improve any shortcomings.
'We are not babies'
In a response to Rina's presser today, Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) president Francis Siva told Rina to provide data to back her claim that disabled people were abusing their aid.
"Show the statistics to us, how many people in Malaysia are abusing the (disabled) funds.
"Calling the disabled smokers, drinkers... what kind of image is she creating for the disabled in Malaysia," he said.
Francis also rubbished her assertion that JKMPay could help the disabled manage their expenses.
"We are not babies. Don't treat us like children... We are adults, we know how to manage the aid, we have done so for 30-40 years," he said.
He said her remarks came off as bullying and insulting to the disabled.
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