Taken from today's TODAY voices segment

Concerted effort the key

Letter from Loi Boon Lee
Director, Community Partnerships
Society for the Physically Disabled

The Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) would like to compliment and thank members of the Steering Committee and Sub-Committees of the Enabling Masterplan for its landmark proposal that goes beyond the provision of services for disabled people to include them as "a part rather than apart" in society.

SPD supports the additional focus to build up more resources and quality programmes for children from the toddler to pre-school stage. We are delighted with the enhanced and "value chain" approach to training and employment for people with disabilities.

We are also heartened that the committee is recommending that more residential options be made available for people with disabilities and their families. SPD will continue to partner with the Government and relevant sectors to enhance and develop new services to serve them.

In particular, SPD applauds one key thrust that underlines the whole Masterplan: An inclusive policy. Singapore has moved on from a "segmentation" approach to "attachment" and, now, to a bold attempt at an "inclusive" policy in providing services for the disabled.

The traditional approach called for all government departments to focus on the masses while issues concerning disability rested with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS).

As the ministry's operating mantra was "many helping hands" and its operating arms were the voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), the needs and challenges of disabled people were relegated to them.

The VWOs had to manage the education, employment, recreational need and social support of disabled people outside mainstream programmes and services. It is no wonder that disabled people were never considered a part of society.

More recently, especially over the past three years, we shifted gear to attempt a more inclusive approach. Unfortunately, the effort was sporadic, ad hoc and not impactful; we were merely carrying out an "attachment" policy. Basically it was still the same actors — same government body and VWOs — trying to build linkages to mainstream society.

In essence, we were trying to do things right rather than to do the right things. All linkages were afterthoughts rather than part of the original conception. No wonder it cost more and the effectiveness was often questioned.

However, we note that things are picking up. We see some government departments, such as the Building & Construction Authority, taking up specific and deliberate agenda and policies for disabled people.

Thus, we strongly urge the Government to adopt the pan-government approach to disability issues.

The Ministry of Health should take on a leadership role in providing for young children with developmental delays. It should also look into the rehabilitation needs of disabled people and those with acquired disabilities such as stroke survivors and diabetes amputees.

The Ministry of Education should take on a pivotal role to oversee education for everyone, including disabled children.

The Ministry of Manpower and National Trades Union Congress should come forth to monitor and tackle the problem of unemployment for people with disabilities. It is also time for the Sports Council to broaden its Committee on Sporting Singapore (CoSS) to include disabled athletes.

It is only when we make this concerted effort that we can then bring the concept of inclusive society to fruition. Yes, existing government bodies and agencies should continue with their roles but there are those among them that can certainly do more.

Perhaps MCYS can take the lead by first broadening its definition of sports fiscal policy. Since disabled people constitute at least 5 per cent of the general population, we could devote a similar 5 per cent from the budget for CoSS and elite athletes to support sports for disabled people.

This masterplan advocating a pan-governmental inclusive policy will definitely bring us closer to being an inclusive society, where people with disabilities are a part of, and not apart from, the community.