(From left) Lau, Fatimah, Dr Toh, Janet and others check the new building.
SIBU (June 17): Minister of Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Seri Fatimah Abdullah says KTS Group of Companies has set a very high benchmark for other corporate bodies to emulate with the construction of RM13 million Shelter Workshop and Vocational Training Centre for people with special needs.
The centre is situated just next to Agape Centre at Jalan Alan.
In a press conference yesterday, she said it was timely that vocational training was being given to the disabled adult to enable them to be as independent as possible and to live in a dignified existence.
She said at the moment vocational training was only given privately through the respective organisation.
Fatimah also said through the newly constructed training centre, Agape Centre through Association for Children with Special Needs Sibu (ACSNS), was reaching out to the people with disabilities to train and enable them to live independently.
“From the briefing I received this morning, this is what Agape Centre is working on. This can be a reality due to KTS’ corporate social responsibility (CSR).
“KTS has indeed set a very high benchmark for other corporate bodies because through their CSR they are able to provide such facilities for the disabled people, especially those in Sibu,” she said.
She added the new building was 99 per cent completed, and once completed, it would provide training for adults with special needs, provide them with skills to generate their own income and to provide employment for them as well.
She also said that Agape Centre had always been Sarawak’s pride as it had set an exemplary role in pulling resources together to provide services for the special needs children and adults.
She said it was very rare for various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) being placed under one building to cater for the needs of children and young adults with disabilities.
Agape Centre has been in operation since 2006, and houses five different organisations – ACSNS, Lau King Howe Memorial Children Clinic, Methodist Care Centre, Sibu Autistic Association, and Special Olympics Sarawak (Sibu Chapter).
On Covid-19 vaccination, Fatimah hoped that the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) would also give priority to the 1,040 educators and 388 of their assistants for vaccination.
She said despite the nation being under Movement Control Order (MCO) 3.0, all taska and private kindergartens were allowed to operate.
Deputy managing director of KTS Group of Companies Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau Lee Ming, meanwhile said the new training centre was 99 per cent completed and was now waiting for Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) to issue the Occupation Permit.
He said the project was delayed due to the pandemic.Work started in March 2019 and was scheduled to be completed in February this year.
“I was told by YB (Fatimah) that this (new training centre building) is not only the best in Malaysia, but probably the best in South East Asia.
“We at KTS are very happy to contribute to the society and to fulfill our CSR obligation. Apart from the welfare of our staff, we also pay attention to our CSR to ensure the wellbeing of society,” he said.
Senator Robert Lau, a political secretary to chief minister Michael Tiang, Pemanca Datuk Jason Tai, division health officer Dr Teh Jo Hun, Sibu Hospital director Dr Nanthakumar Thirunavukkarasu, chairperson of ACSNS Kapitan Datuk Janet Lau, and secretary Dr Toh Teck Hock were among those present.