KUCHING: Free counselling services and family and social guidance is what Datuk Amar Hajah Juma’ani Welfare Centre is all about.
The two-storey facility at Jalan Kulas here, which was declared open yesterday by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, will operate from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Built at a cost of RM1 million, the centre will provide welfare support services to Community-based Rehabilitation Centre (PDK) and Old Folks Activity Centre (Pawe).
The centre replaces the existing Community-based Rehabilitation Centre (PDK) Sri Satok at Jalan Muda Hashim.
“The old place is too small for the increased number of trainers,” said Abang Johari.
The new building is a huge contrast. It has a kitchen, dining area, sensory room, physiotherapy room, hydrotherapy pool, craft shop and three classrooms on the ground floor.
The first floor has a general office, conference room, counselling room, lecture/IT room, committee room, multipurpose veranda and a store.
With these facilities in place, the centre aims to increase public awareness of people with special needs (OKU) and old folks in terms of their rights, opportunities and equal access to public facilities and amenities.
The chief minister noted that a lot of volunteers were coming to hold activities at PDK Sri Satok because it had the space and facilities.
He said these volunteers would surely welcome the positive change offered by the new centre which has a more comprehensive set-up.
According to him, actually the centre was not funded fully by the state government as “a very kind-hearted person donated half a million ringgit towards the construction of the building”.
“Nobody asked him to do so, yet he sincerely donated to the centre after watching a stage performance by children with special needs,” he said.
On how the centre came into being, Permodalan Satok Bhd (PSB) executive chairman Tan Sri Datuk Abdul Aziz Datuk Husain said the company worked hard to acquire a 0.35-acre piece of land for the building due to its concern for and commitment to providing better facilities for the comfort of people with special needs.
He recalled that the Chief Minister’s wife (who is PKPJ chairman), Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang, officiated at the centre’s groundbreaking ceremony on Nov 13 last year.
Two weeks later, the construction began and was completed on Feb 4. The building was constructed using the Industrialised Building System (IBS) technology.
The building is going to be handed over to the proprietor, Petra Jaya Welfare Association (PKPJ), who will administer and manage the welfare the centre.
Juma’ani herself, State Legislative Assembly (DUN) speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, PDK Sri Satok chairman Datuk Dr Munirah Mohd Hassan, and PKPJ vice chairman Dr Ismail
