SIBU: Wishesland Sibu needs a permanent building that is more conducive, spacious, and wheelchair-friendly, says Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
The Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development said it is essential for the convenience of children suffering from Cerebral Palsy (CP).
“When I entered and was shown the place where Wishesland Sibu operates, the first thing I noticed was that it was very cramped and not conducive.
“The first thing I told chairman of Wishesland Sibu, Kelvin Yeo Kai Kee, and advisor of Wishesland Sibu, Chi Poh Yung, was to arrange a visit to the Land and Survey Department.
“Then express the intention to apply for state land to permanently house Wishesland. If we rent a place like this, for instance, we can be asked to vacate the building at any time. Any investments we make in renovations and improvements will be lost,” she stressed.
Fatimah said this in her speech during her visit to the Wishesland Sibu branch at Jalan Shariff Mansor here on Wednesday (June 19).
The Dalat assemblywoman also advised Wishesland Sibu to write to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg after the visit to the Land and Survey Department.
“When you send the letter, I will also write a letter to provide support,” she added.
Meanwhile, Yeo, in his speech, said Wishesland Sibu is a non-governmental organisation set up by individuals and parents with cerebral palsy children on Aug 4, 2022.
He added that Wishesland Sibu is a training centre for children suffering from diseases that cause muscle, movement, and body coordination disorders, known as CP.
“As of today, we have two full-time physiotherapists, one part-time driver, and 18 children.
“Our centre needs approximately RM100,000 every year to cover all its expenses, which include two full-time staff, rental, transportation costs, utility bills, and more.
“Therefore, we hope that the public will continue to give us their support, especially monetary support, for us to maintain the standard of our rehabilitation centre,” he said.
Earlier, Fatimah also allocated RM10,000 to the centre for their activities and programmes.
