Ras Adiba vows to stay committed to empowering PwD community

Ras Adiba, who is also chairman of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), was among the 41 individuals conferred with the award, which carries the title 'Datuk', at the investiture of the Federal Territories (FT) awards, medals and honours in conjunction with the 2021 FT Day, at Istana Negara here today.

The investiture was graced by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

When met after the ceremony, Ras Adiba expressed gratitude for the award, which she dedicated to all PwD in the country.

"I'm honoured to receive the award and, of course, this is not just for me but also for all my PwD friends out there.

"After this, I will be more motivated to fight for our rights and empower all categories of PwD in the country," she said.

Ras Adiba, who is also president of a non-governmental organisation, OKU Sentral, said public awareness and understanding of the various categories of PwD should be enhanced so that they could give continuous support to the community.

She said this includes providing better infrastructures that would meet the needs of the PwD.

"We should also ensure that no PwD will be left behind in terms of education, which will help them secure jobs," she said, adding that early intervention for children with disabilities is also an important aspect that should be given attention to ensure that they could be helped by the relevant experts.