Universal access to all with new Disability Act

THE government is in the final stage of drafting an 'Act for People with Disabilities' which will grant protection to the rights of individuals with disabilities in the Sultanate and ensure they have equal accessibility to public facilities and infrastructure, said Permanent Secretary of Culture, Youth and Sport yesterday.

Hj Mohd Rozan Dato Paduka Hj Yunos, in an interview with The Brunei Times, said that the Act was to ensure that individuals with special needs would get "all sorts of rights".

The Act will include various provisions, such as "making things accessible to the public, especially public building, public transportation and so on," he said.

He added that the Act was one of the government's initiative to help people with disabilities to enable them to "get around" or "get to work". Hj Mohd Rozan further said that the Act would benefit individuals with all kinds of physical and mental disabilities, adding that it is "trying to make sure that every single one of these people will be catered for".

The permanent secretary said that the Act was an initiative of various government ministries and agencies, spearheaded by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports - which looks after the welfare of the people.

"At the moment, it is being finalised, Alhamdullilah. We've been doing it for the last couple of years, I can't say when but we're hoping it to be out very soon," he said during a sideline interview at the National Association of the Deaf's (OKP) Second Annual General Meeting (AGM).

In a speech prior to the meeting, Hj Mohd Rozan said that the determination and high commitment of the government towards ensuring an improved quality of lifestyle for people with disabilities was cemented with the latest initiative to create an Act known as the 'Akta Kurang Upaya' (loosely translated as the 'Disability Act').

"This soon-to-be introduced Act will, InsyaAllah become a guideline towards creating welfare for individuals with disabilities in the country, in line with international proclaimations such as the 'UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities' and 'UN Convention on the Rights of the Child"'. Such effort, among others, is to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities is protected so that they can enjoy equal facilities and opportunities available in the development of the nation economically and socially, he added.

The Acting Director of Community Development Department (Japem) Hjh Misnah Hj Bolhassan had, in September last year, told The Brunei Times in an interview that the Sultanate was in the process of drafting a "People with Disability Order" to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities ensuring equal access to employment and education opportunities. The Brunei Times