PM announces RM1 mln allocation to upgrade PLPP Bangi

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today announced that the government has approved a special allocation of RM1 million to upgrade the Bangi Industrial and Rehabilitation Centre (PLPP Bangi) so that it can become a modern centre of excellence for disabled persons.

He made the announcement when making a one-hour visit to PLPP Bangi, which is an institution under the Social Welfare Department to provide vocational training and rehabilitation for the disabled (OKU).

Najib said the allocation would be used for purchasing equipment, machines for rehabilitation and treatment for the purposes of physioterapy as well as upgrading its hydroterapy centre.

"The government is constantly making efforts to build a caring and inclusive society so that no one is left out including OKU.

"Today I am approving an allocation of RM1 million for this centre. Hopefully with this allocation, PLPP Bangi will become an OKU centre of excellence that is more progressive and modern, apart from paving the way towards a brighter future for this group (OKU)," he told reporters.

During the visit, Najib, who was accompanied by the centre's director Ismail Arul Raj Amirudin, toured its prosthetics and orthotics workshop, hydroterapy centre, wheelchair making workshop and gymnasium, besides interacting with the students and teaching staff.

He also praised the centre for doing a good job in training OKU to get jobs and doing job matching.

"Besides this, they also produce prosthetic and orthotic products to be marketed.

"I gave an agreement that the centre can sell its products to the Social Welfare Department to earn income apart from providing job opportunities to the OKU here," he said.

Najib had special mention for the F1 wheelchair produced by the centre, saying:"This F1 wheelchair is very sophisticated and has an attractive design. This is an innovation on their part and has potential to be marketed." -- Bernama