Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Maszlee Malik has pledged to transform Puteri Wangsa into a more disability-friendly constituency, promising to push for a dedicated state policy and agency to safeguard the welfare of persons with disabilities if elected in Saturday’s Johor state election.
Maszlee said Johor is home to more than 95,000 registered persons with disabilities, yet the state still lacks a comprehensive framework to address their welfare, education and accessibility needs. He pointed out that, unlike Selangor, Johor does not have a dedicated policy or agency specifically focused on supporting the disabled community.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Chikopi, a café operated by a person with disabilities and employing workers with disabilities, Maszlee said the initiative forms part of PH’s “Johor for All” manifesto. He pledged to prioritise the proposal within the coalition’s first 100 days in office should PH form the next state government.
The former education minister said the commitment was inspired by his long-standing involvement with non-governmental organisations advocating for disability rights. Referring to Chikopi, he described the café as a reflection of a dream he had nurtured while working alongside groups championing people with different abilities.
Beyond disability-focused policies, Maszlee said he also intends to improve public infrastructure to better serve pregnant women, children and individuals facing temporary or permanent mobility challenges. He stressed that effective leadership begins with listening to the people rather than expecting people to listen to politicians.
Recalling his first visit to Tokyo in 2001, Maszlee said he was impressed by how easily visually impaired individuals could move around the city due to its accessible infrastructure. He expressed hope that areas such as Mount Austin, Taman Daya and the wider Puteri Wangsa constituency could one day offer the same level of accessibility for the blind and visually impaired.
Maszlee will face a five-cornered contest for the Puteri Wangsa seat against Rashifa Aljunied of Muda, Teow Chia Ling of Barisan Nasional, Nicholas Paul Vincent of Bersama, and independent candidate Wang Wee Siong in the 11 July state election.
In the 2022 Johor state election, Muda’s Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz won the Puteri Wangsa seat after securing 22,884 votes, defeating her rivals with a majority of 7,114 votes.
