BUDGET 2025: MORE AUTISTIC CHILDREN TO GAIN ACCESS TO EARLY INTERVENTION

By Thivyamalini Ramalu

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- More autistic children will have the opportunity to receive early intervention through initiatives announced in Budget 2025, including the construction of 11 new Permata centres to ensure that every state is equipped with an education centre for autistic children.

The states that will benefit include Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak.

Kurnia Alumni Welfare Association president Dr Aamir Abdullah Abdul Kareem Khadaied said that currently, the Permata Kurnia Centre in Sentul is the only facility for early intervention of autistic children.

He said this is insufficient to meet the needs of the community, especially when lower- and middle-income families cannot afford intervention services at private centres.

"This year’s budget is more comprehensive, especially for autistic children. We see the government’s effort to expand existing facilities, opening up more opportunities for this group, whose numbers we believe are increasing.

"There is indeed a long waiting time to get into Permata Kurnia. When I wanted to send my daughter there in 2017, the wait was almost 10 months. So, this government initiative shows that they are more aware of helping these children get early intervention and special education," he told Bernama recently.

When asked about the importance of early intervention, Dr Aamir Abdullah, an anaesthesiologist at Tunku Ampuan Besar Tuanku Aishah Rohani Hospital, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Children's Specialist Hospital, said the presence of autistic children cannot be ignored.

"One day, they will become a significant minority in society. We can no longer follow the old ways of leaving them at home, locking them away and making them individuals with no function.

"With the government’s approach through the allocation of this budget, these children are indirectly helped, and in the future, they will ‘give back’ to those in need," he said, adding that the basic monthly cost for each autistic child is almost RM2,000, and could be more for some families.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when unveiling Budget 2025 recently, announced the construction of two new special needs schools in Tuaran, Sabah, and Johor Bahru, at a cost of RM300 million.

He said the school in Johor Bahru would also become the first to specialise in education for autistic children. Anwar also announced that an autism service centre would be developed with an allocation of RM5 million.

Anwar also announced that the tax relief limit for autism treatment and rehabilitation expenses will be increased to RM6,000 from RM4,000.

Meanwhile, Dr Shan Narayanan, a consultant paediatrician at Hospital Fatimah, Ipoh, said the government is taking a significant step towards addressing autism by increasing funding and establishing dedicated institutions for autistic children.

“The focus on building Permata centres and specialised schools is a strategic move that can provide structured learning environments. The increase in tax relief for treatment expenses also reflects an understanding of the financial burden on families,” he said.

However, he stressed the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure the success of these initiatives and called for a balanced approach that addresses immediate and long-term needs through a structured timeline and targeted strategies.

Immediate priorities include enhancing diagnostic services for early identification of autism and establishing early intervention centres for preschool children.

In contrast, long-term initiatives should focus on vocational training, creating assisted residences for those in need, and developing sustainable support systems to facilitate the transition of autistic individuals into adulthood, he added.

-- BERNAMA