Maszlee pledges disability-friendly Puteri Wangsa if elected

JOHOR BAHRU: Pakatan Harapan’s Puteri Wangsa candidate Maszlee Malik has pledged to make the constituency more disability-friendly, promising to push for a dedicated state policy and agency to oversee their welfare if he is elected in the July 11 polls.

Maszlee said Johor, despite having more than 95,000 registered persons with disabilities, still lacked a comprehensive framework to address their needs.

“Unlike Selangor, we don’t have a specific policy for them. We don’t have a dedicated state agency looking after their welfare, education and well-being,” he told FMT during a visit to Chikopi, a cafe run by a person with disabilities that also employs workers with disabilities.

He said creating such a framework was part of PH’s “Johor for All” manifesto and was among the reforms he would push within his first 100 days if the coalition forms the state government.

Maszlee said the idea was rooted in a long-held personal ambition shaped by his work with organisations advocating the rights of people with disabilities.

“This is part of my dream. When I was actively involved with NGOs fighting for the rights of people with different abilities, I always dreamed of having a cafe like this,” he said, referring to Chikopi.

He said he would also look at creating public spaces that serve pregnant women, children and others with temporary or permanent mobility challenges.

“The best thing for a politician is to listen. Sometimes politicians like people to listen to them, but the key to leadership is listening to the people,” he said when asked what he would prioritise.

Recalling his first visit to Tokyo in 2001, he said he was struck by how easily visually impaired people were able to navigate the city.

“It was a blind-friendly city because of all the facilities they had. I would love Puteri Wangsa, whether in Mount Austin, Taman Daya or elsewhere, to become blind-friendly too.”

Maszlee will face Muda candidate Rashifa Aljunied, Barisan Nasional’s Teow Chia Ling, Bersama candidate Nicholas Paul Vincent, and independent Wang Wee Siong in the battle for Puteri Wangsa this Saturday.

In the 2022 state polls, Muda’s Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz won the Puteri Wangsa seat with 22,884 votes and a 7,114-majority.