KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has allocated RM2.5 million in the state’s 2025 Budget to launch the Intervention Programme for Children with Autism, in collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) next year, said State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
Masidi, when tabling the state budget, themed ‘Sabah Makmur, Rakyat Sejahtera’ at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly today, said that the programme will be implemented in Taman Didikan Kanak-Kanak premises in Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Sandakan, Kudat, and Beaufort.
“The Sabah government is deeply concerned about the rise in the registration of disabled children, particularly in the autism sub-category, which recorded a total of 5,689 children with 1,152 of them being registered this year,” he said.
“In light of the growing diagnosis of autism, there is an urgent need for early intervention to support these children.
Masidi explained that the early intervention efforts will focus on providing pre-school programmes and additional support for children with special needs or developmental delays, particularly for those from B40 families.
Additionally, Masidi highlighted that the Sabah government will continue the School Assistance programme with an allocation of RM26.06 million next year.
This initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on parents, especially those from low-income households, by providing school uniforms, shoes, and stationery to 1,075 primary schools across Sabah, benefitting 291,275 students.
