NABAWAN: Umno Pensiangan Division chief Senator Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohd Yassin said a total of 36 community rehabilitation centres (PDKs) operated in the state last year.
He said the centres provide training for 2,103 people with disabilities and involve 202 volunteers serving as staff members, including 36 supervisors throughout the state.
He said the Social Welfare Department had allocated RM94 million to such centres throughout the country last year.
As of September last year, 537 PDKs were operating nationwide under the provision of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development through the Welfare Services Department, he said.
“So far 20,604 people with disabiltiies have benefited from the services of the centres throughout the country,” he said when officiating at the handover of allowances to trainees of the centre, and the New Year’s Day and the birthday party celebrations here, yesterday.
Ghani said seven more PDKs would be set up by the end of this year.
He said the local centre here needed a site to build its own building.
In view of this, he urged the authorities to speed up the land ownership process to enable the construction of the new PDK building.
“I will try to submit the request with the relevant parties to get new buildings for the convenience of the occupants,” he said.
Ghani said PDK Nabawan, with 25 trainees, was now operating at a rented house belonging to a villager.
He said that with its own building, various types of assistance could be easily channelled to the management of the centre.
At the event, Ghani also presented financial assistance of RM5,000 and a wheelchair to one of the senior citizens.
Among those present were PDK Nabawan chairman Ahmad Adini Angilas, Assistant District Officer (Development) Sungkim Rumangaun, Assistant District Officer (Administration) Djamiluddin Kamaruddin, Pensiangan Umno Division deputy head Abi Wednes Gamboi, heads of government departments and community leaders.