HUMAN Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam has come under fire for saying a new Social Security Organisation (Socso) plan will “help change the disabled people’s mindset so they do not to depend solely on their Socso disability pension”.

“We are disappointed with the statement,” Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive) president Anthony Thanasayan said.

“We disabled people never said we are not interested to work, or that we only want to depend on the Socso disability pension. It’s hard for a normal person to look for a job... imagine what the disabled will have to go through,” he said.

Thanasayan said the Socso plan to launch the “Return to Work” rehabilitation programme for the disabled would not be an easy task to accomplish.

However, the minister is of the opinion that the programme would help disabled people regain some of their abilities and also retrain them for new employment opportunities upon recovery.

Added Thanasayan: “The working environment should be conducive for the disabled community. It should be disabled people friendly.”

Another group, the Disabled Persons Association of Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan (Damai) in welcoming the Socso move called on the authorities to hold meetings with the disabled community to listen to their suggestions and ideas.

Its president, V. Murugeswaran said the disabled have been taking up with the authorities, and with little success, the facility of their movement and public transport issues.

He said little has been done to make access to buildings and facilities easier for the disabled, while Damai’s call for public transport facilities and stations to be made more disabled-friendly has seen only lukewarm response.

While he is happy that the “Retsurn to Work” programme is specially conducted for the disabled, Murugeswaran hoped Socso would not revoke the disability pension once the disabled gain employment.

Read More: ‘Get the disabled involved in the scheme’