Stop implementation of JKMPay - Ras Adiba

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) has been urged to stop the implementation of the cashless welfare assistance payment pilot project through JKMPay.

Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi said the JKMPay, which is an initiative towards digitisation in delivering assistance to people with disabilities (PwD), did not seek the prior views of the community itself.

In a statement today, she requested for the EPOKU (EPC) payment of RM450 be reinstated beginning this month, as it had caused all sorts of problems to the group.

"Once again, I urge the Social Welfare Department (JKM) to bring up this matter to the National Council for PwD immediately. At the same time, it is hoped that JKM will hold engagement sessions with various non-governmental organisations or associations related to the PwD community for their views and feedback on the JKMPay implementation.

"I would like to emphasise once again the phrase "nothing about us without us." If you want to do something worthy and good for the PwDs, please ask and discuss with us first, because only we PwDs would understand the needs of PwDs ," she said.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun was earlier reported to have said the JKMPay pilot project was still at the feasibility study stage before being implemented nationwide.

Meanwhile, Ras Adiba said of late, there were several issues or problems faced by the PwDs and it was time that KPWKM upgrade the PwD Development Department as a department wiith full functions and its director from among the group.

"This is to ensure that PwD development and empowerment can be handled properly and fairly," she said in the statement.

-- BERNAMA